Agriculture

Nathan Murray (BScAgr’11) remotely volunteers as secretary of the Agriculture Alumni Association Board. In his day job, he is an agile coach with Farm Credit Canada in Saskatchewan.

Jenna Hazelton (BEng’11) grew up watching her mom Janet (MPA’10), president of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union, fight for health-care workers’ rights. Her mom was her role model and now Jenna, too, is breaking barriers — in her case, in the traditionally male-dominated field of engineering.

Co-owners Josh Oulton (Class of 1996) and Patricia Bishop (Class of 1999) are deepening the community’s connection to the industry and merging traditional farming with modern, environmentally sustainable practices.

John Van De Riet (Class of ’80) operates Sunni Knoll Farms in Shubenacadie, N.S., and recently installed two robotic DeLaval VMS milkers.

The Faculty of Agriculture’s Blue & Gold Awards program celebrated three outstanding alumni this past homecoming weekend.

2022 Aurum Award recipient, Chief Sidney Peters (Dip Tech Agriculture’84) is the fourth chief of Nova Scotia’s Glooscap First Nation. Drawing on his experience with Indigenous housing programs, he’s leading efforts to rebuild the community’s fortunes and pride through new policies, housing and investments. Next up: financial self-sufficiency.

When a hurricane decimated banana crops in Dominica in 1979, Teresa Mellish (Dip Agr’66) raised funds to help. Realizing she could do much more, she has helped raise millions to address food security in Kenya as co-founder and treasurer of Farmers Helping Farmers.

John Duynisveld (MSc’99) is a beef research biologist who practices what he preaches on his farm. As a beef research biologist, John is working to lessen the environmental impact of raising meat by focusing on forage systems.

It’s always the right time to pursue a dream. Just ask 66-year-old graduate Wendy McKay, who will be recieving her Bachelor of Technology degree in Small Business Management from Dal’s Faculty of Agriculture.

Sidney Peters (Tech’84) is in his second term as Chief of Glooscap First Nation. He reflects on the great strides the Mi’kmaq band has made in economic development and education for the community.