By: Jodi Reid

Four postdoctoral research fellows joined the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture this year to tackle diverse topics in sustainable agriculture, thanks to a visionary gift from the McCain Foundation. The new fellows are the first to be recruited to Dalhousie as McCain Foundation Postdoctoral Fellows in Sustainable Agriculture.

The McCain Foundation’s commitment of $1.5 million over five years will fund 12 or more postdoctoral fellowships. The competitive fellowships aim to attract the best and brightest agriculture and sustainability researchers from around the world to the Faculty of Agriculture, where they will contribute valuable research and innovative ideas to Dalhousie, the local agricultural community and beyond.

Agriculture is an integral part of the fabric of Atlantic Canada and a key factor in global sustainability. The addition of several postdoctoral fellows at Dalhousie will significantly strengthen sustainable agriculture research in the region and help researchers and producers align their work with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. David Gray, Dean of the Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture, says the timing of the McCain Foundation gift is critical.

“The world is reaching a tipping point in terms of climate change—we only have 38 harvests left, or until 2050 when the world’s population reaches nearly 10 billion, to find the solutions necessary to produce food in a sustainable way and feed our ever-growing population,” says Dean Gray.

Dean Gray notes that agriculture is the biggest user of land and fresh water on the planet. “The answers to our climate change and food insecurity issues are steeped in agriculture. There is no other industry on the planet that is more poised to solve these issues than agriculture. We’re very grateful to the McCain Foundation for generously investing in research in this way and working with us to build a better future here and around the world for generations to come.”

The power of the postdoc

According to Dr. Chris Cutler, Associate Dean of Research, Agriculture, postdoctoral fellows are a crucial addition to university research programs because they bring very strong research skill sets, have innovative ideas, and can teach and mentor graduate and undergraduate students.

“Postdocs come to us ready to lead groundbreaking research right now,” says Dr. Cutler. “Establishing a competitive, prestigious postdoctoral program like this will attract the highest calibre talent, while also playing a significant and long-lasting role in building research programs and sustainable practices for the future. We are recruiting the next leaders in agricultural research.”

Attracting top researchers to the region with the potential to make an immediate and meaningful impact resonated strongly with the McCain Foundation.

“The McCain Foundation aims to improve lives, especially in rural communities where many McCain employees live and work,” says Linda McCain (BComm’75), Chair of the McCain Foundation. “We could clearly envision how supporting research fellowships could not only advance the long-term sustainable agriculture goals we share with Dalhousie, but also benefit rural communities in Atlantic Canada and beyond in the more immediate future. We’re thrilled to see the impressive projects the inaugural McCain Postdoctoral Fellows have started already—we know they will make a real difference.”

From soil and pests to social sustainability

The 2022-2024 McCain Foundation Postdoctoral Fellows in Sustainable Agriculture are up and running with their research programs in a broad range of topics:

• Kingsley John’s research in soil carbon and health will help improve data-driven decision making to promote food security and environmental preservation.
• Monika Korzun’s research will assess social sustainability in the agri-food industry, advancing understanding of sustainable agriculture and its affects on broader society.
• Rachel Rix’s (MSc’17, PhD’22) research on wireworms will help reduce environmental impacts and improve overall sustainability of the potato industry.
• Weixi Shu’s (MSc’14, PhD’22) research in agricultural and forestry soils will focus on developing models of carbon nitrogen, and contaminant cycling and transport in soil and water.

“McCain Foods and the McCain Foundation are committed to giving back to our community and creating programs that can help sustainable farming practices here and around the world,” says Dr. Yves Leclerc, Director of Agronomy, North America, McCain Foods. “We’re delighted to support these bright researchers as well as those who will follow in the next five years, and we eagerly anticipate the important work they will do. It will be very exciting to see the fruits this partnership with Dalhousie will yield.”

“I can think of nothing more rewarding and fulfilling than to use my research to support my Maritime community and the people who work every day to improve environmental sustainability and food security,” adds Dr. Rix.

For more information on the McCain Postdoctoral Fellowship program, please contact chris.cutler@dal.ca or lisa.doucette@dal.ca.