University of Guelph among top 50 in international agricultural program rankings Friday, May 10, 2013 by SUSAN MANN The University of Guelph finished 32nd in an international ranking of top agricultural and forestry universities. British-based university ranking organization, QS World University Rankings, released the results recently. In the top spot was University of California, Davis, while Wageningen University in The Netherlands finished second and Cornell University in New York State was third. This is the first time the organization has ranked schools in the agriculture and forestry division. It has provided university rankings for three years and is considered to be one of the most influential university ranking providers in the world. Finishing slightly ahead of the University of Guelph was the University of British Columbia at number 27 as the top Canadian university in the rankings, but Rob Gordon, dean of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College, says that was mainly because of the West Coast university’s forestry programs. McGill University in Quebec was ranked 46th, while Laval University also in Quebec was ranked 60th. University of Alberta was 86th while University of Saskatchewan was 94th and University of Toronto was 95th. The ranking company evaluated 2,858 universities and ranked 678 of those institutions in 30 subject areas. The company used six indicators to rank each university. They are: Academic reputation. Employer reputation. Citations per faculty. Faculty-student ratio. Proportion of international students. Proportion of international faculty. Gordon says there are a lot of assessments of universities being done now. “We do view ourselves as Canada’s preeminent agricultural and food university and specifically Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) as being primarily responsible for that reputation.” The criteria the company used had a huge impact on the ranking results, he says, noting Guelph does pay attention to how outside organizations view the university. “This a good benchmark for us to continue to move forward and do things better but at the same time one thing we’re really proud of is the role we play in supporting Ontario,” he explains. During the past five years, enrollment at the OAC has increased by about 30 per cent in total. OAC works hard to ensure graduates get jobs. “There’s a huge job market available for OAC graduates,” he says. “That’s our thrust moving forward is to continue to satisfy the Ontario need for highly qualified people working in the agriculture and food industries.” Guelph works very closely with the top three-ranked universities, he notes. In particular, the university started to develop a working relationship with Cornell and will have more student exchanges and more opportunities to partner with the Ithaca, New York-based university on research. “We’re really sharing our commitment to agriculture and food training more closely with them,” he says. BF Funds for food institute Provincial and federal governments ponder ruling against green energy content rules
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online