University of Saskatchewan Establishes New Jarislowsky and BMO Chair in Regenerative Agriculture

Major donations will support research to promote environmental practices and food security

SASKATOON, SK, July 4, 2024 /CNW/ – Dr. Kate Congreves (PhD) has been appointed the Jarislowsky and BMO Chair in Regenerative Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to lead research in regenerative agriculture, supporting the wider-scale adoption of beneficial production and environmental practices necessary for food security.

“As the new chair, Dr. Congreves will strengthen Canada’s agriculture sector by providing leadership in regenerative agriculture, working with producers to identify and evaluate best practices, and creating new teaching and mentoring opportunities for students,” said Dr. Angela Bedard-Haughn (PhD), Dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at USask. “This investment in USask research means new potential to maximize environmental benefits of agricultural systems and minimize environmental impacts, all while maintaining and increasing food production.”

The Jarislowsky and BMO Chair in Regenerative Agriculture was established by a $4 million endowment with a donation of $2 million from the Jarislowsky Foundation, $1 million from BMO, and $1M from the USask Greystone Heritage Trust to significantly expand research capacity in regenerative agriculture at USask.

“Building a more sustainable future has been a long-standing priority for the Jarislowsky Foundation,” said Stephen Jarislowsky, founder and president of the foundation. “The research led by Dr. Congreves and her team will make an impact on agriculture, climate and food production through advancing the science and encouraging the adoption of sustainable farming practices across Canada and beyond.”

The Jarislowsky Foundation supports research chairs to promote excellence in teaching, mentoring and research.

“At BMO, we are long-time supporters of the agricultural sector and proud of our clients, who are among the most innovative producers in the world in regenerative agriculture,” said Allison Hakomaki, Head of Agriculture, Public Sector and Emerging Industries, BMO. “We know how vital sustainable practices are to the resilience of our farmers and the future of food in Canada and,  driven by our Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life and our commitment to a sustainable future, we recognize the importance of supporting initiatives like the University of Saskatchewan’s research in this field.”

During the Chair’s five-year term, Congreves’ research will inform sustainable nitrogen (N) management for healthy agroecosystems. Nitrogen is simultaneously an essential nutrient for crop production and a major environmental concern. Better understanding of N cycling is necessary and is a timely priority with policymakers interested in developing strategies to better manage N. Congreves will explore interdisciplinary collaborations with agricultural researchers in other areas of expertise such as water, livestock and health, and with social scientists, economists, and philosophers to develop evidence-based recommendations that will be pertinent to Canada’s progress towards a sustainable future.

“Regenerative agriculture is an ecosystem-based approach to crop production—one that embodies reciprocity with the land by improving soil health, enhancing biodiversity, and reducing negative impacts of inputs like N fertilizer. A promising strategy to design regenerative agroecosystems is the diversification of cropping systems,” said Congreves, an associate professor in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

Understanding how diversification can tighten the N cycle for sustainable soil management and regenerative agriculture is a major focus. Congreves’ work explores the controls on soil N transformations, plant N uptake, and N losses, and is aimed at better understanding the flow of N and its cycling in diversified agroecosystems.

Congreves joined USask in 2017 and leads an internationally recognized research program focused on sustainable agriculture and horticulture with an emphasis on diversified field crop and vegetable crop production systems. She specializes in soil health measurement and management, nitrogen cycling and use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation. Congreves is an award-winning researcher and serves USask as a Sustainability Faculty Fellow.

The chair’s research will be supported by the BMO Soil Analytical Lab at USask, recently established to help alleviate a critical bottleneck in digital agriculture research and providing key analytical capabilities for research in regenerative agriculture.

About USask: The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is located in Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory and the traditional homeland of the Métis. Research, teaching and learning at USask are enhanced by its array of world-class centres and facilities. A range of excellent programs, from business, law and public policy to engineering, agriculture, medicine and veterinary medicine, positions USask to bring unique perspectives to key global challenges. USask has launched the largest campaign in the province’s history to raise $500M to tackle the world’s most pressing issues through leading critical research, supporting Indigenous achievement, inspiring students to succeed and designing visionary spaces. With more than 25,700 students from around the globe, well-recognize experts, and the support of our strong community of champions, together we will be what the world needs.

About the Jarislowsky Foundation: The Jarislowsky Foundation was founded in 1991 by Stephen A. Jarislowsky, a prominent Canadian philanthropist and business leader. The foundation’s mission is to promote, support and foster excellence and ethics in education, medicine and the arts, and the environment and climate change. The foundation has 48 research chairs in areas of democracy, governance, public sector management, environment and climate change, Canadian art, and health across Canada. The foundation supports programs that allow students from diverse backgrounds to discuss contemporary issues with mentors and recognized experts. These programs aim to develop students’ critical thinking skills so that they become leaders with strategic vision and thinking. The Jarislowsky Foundation supports more than 80 organizations a year in the arts and culture, hospital foundations, the community sector and climate change. The Jarislowsky Foundation now donates approximately $10 million per year.

About BMO Financial Group: BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.4 trillion as of April 30, 2024. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets, and investment banking products and services to 13 million customers across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future, and inclusive society.

SOURCE University of Saskatchewan