U. of G. Ridgetown campus offers new greenhouse production management certificate

Thursday, February 13, 2014

by MATT MCINTOSH

Starting this September, prospective agriculture students will be able to enroll in a new greenhouse production management program at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus.

The Greenhouse Production Management Certificate takes 16 months – or four semesters – to complete, and is designed to meet the future needs of Ontario’s greenhouse industry.

“We’ve been speaking to various colleges about upgrading training for quite some time,” says George Gilvesy, general manager of Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers. “We are delighted that the college is responding to the needs of our community.”

According to an informational brochure, students enrolled in the program will have two semesters of in-class study, along with two four-month work terms. The areas of study covered by the program include but are not limited to pest management, plant health, human resources, and greenhouse economics.

The program itself is designed as a supplemental certificate, meaning those considered for the program will need to have previously completed a “degree or diploma in science, horticulture or a related discipline, or have significant industry experience.”

“In Ontario, the greenhouse sector is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors,” says Kory Lippert, student recruitment coordinator at Ridgetown, in an email this week. “No other hands-on training is currently available at a college or university level related to this discipline in Ontario.”

The University of Guelph, Ridgetown campus is still accepting applications for the September program. BF