Canada's first agricultural technology degree ushering in the future of farming

This story was originally published on September 22, 2022, as part of the Back to Campus special feature in The Globe and Mail, which was produced by Randall Anthony Communications.

Nicole Sharpe grew up near Drumheller, Alberta, on a 106-year-old grain farm operated by her family for four generations. “Living in an agricultural community truly shaped who I am, and I always knew I wanted to work in agriculture,” she says.

Inspired by farming traditions, Sharpe is about to start her career in a modern agriculture sector rapidly adapting to advances in science and technology. In April 2023, she will graduate from Lakeland College with two diplomas and a degree from the college’s School of Agricultural Sciences at the college’s Vermilion campus in eastern Alberta.

Sharpe earned a diploma in crop technology to learn about agronomy, which deals with field crop production and soil management, followed by a diploma in agribusiness. Then, in 2021, Lakeland offered a new opportunity with the launch of Canada’s first Bachelor of Agricultural Technology degree.

“I could now pursue my goal of getting a degree without having to transfer to a university,” she says. “It was great to remain at Lakeland, in a supportive community that has become my second home.” She also welcomed the chance to continue with her athletics, playing on the Rustlers competitive volleyball team.

The ag tech degree program focuses on the practical application of new agriculture technologies such as automated systems, analytics, sensors and other precision farming devices. It relies heavily on real-world, hands-on learning that includes conducting research at the Agricultural Technology Centre, work on a large student-managed farm and a practicum.

"Our goal is to produce graduates who can critically assess new technologies, and who can speak the language of producers and explain the potential return on investment," says Dr. Adrienne Levay, program head the ag tech degree.

Sharpe plans to work as an agronomist or in a similar role that will allow her to engage in “problem-solving with growers,” she says. “It’s a very exciting time to be in the agriculture industry. The degree program has helped me understand the important role technology can play in helping farmers make the best decisions to enhance productivity and improve operations. It connects well with what I learned about growers’ needs in my diploma programs.”

The agricultural technology program was developed with significant input from industry stakeholders, explains Levay. She says industry identified the need for more “integrators” who can bridge the gap between emerging technologies and agricultural production and management.

“It’s important to have someone with farming expertise who can communicate the potential of technology to producers, who might not see the value of often-costly technology investments,” says Levay. “Our goal is to produce graduates who can critically assess new technologies, and who can speak the language of producers and explain the potential return on investment.”

The degree program also focuses on how technological innovation can help support sustainable farm business, a big-picture approach that covers economic, environmental and social sustainability.

“And we seek to help our graduates become ‘systems thinkers’ – to assess a production system, understand how all the components and the value chain are connected, and then identify how a change, such as a new technology, might affect other parts of the system,” says Levay.

“That’s one of the other ways that we’re helping our graduates provide trustworthy information to producers.”

Photos: Top - Bachelor of Agricultural Technology student, Nicole Sharpe. Bottom - Bachelor of Agricultural Technology program head, Dr. Adrienne Levay.