NSAC Receipient of Canada Research Chair in Organic Agriculture

Dr. Derek Lynch of the NSAC has been named a Canada Research Chair in Organic Agriculture by the Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canada Research Chairs Program.

The university will receive $500,000 over the next five years to support Dr. Lynch and his research which will involve the development of innovative crop and soil management practices to address the challenges to the sustained growth of organic agriculture in Canada.

“The Canada Research Chairs program recognizes and supports the best scientific minds of our time. We at NSAC are extremely proud of Dr. Lynch for this prestigious accomplishment,” said NSAC President Dr. Philip Hicks. “Not only will the industry and Canadian consumers benefit from his research program but so also will our students, who will be trained by the best.”

“Our universities are vital centres of cutting-edge research and innovation,” added the Honourable David L. Emerson, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canada Research Chairs Program. “The ideas generated at these institutions extend the frontiers of knowledge and create a deeper understanding of the complex world in which we live. Communities all over the country will see the benefits of the work done by the more than 1500 Chairholders who conduct research at Canadian universities.”

Canadian consumers are concerned with the quality of their food and how it is produced and for this reason they are becoming increasingly interested in “organic” agriculture. Retail sales of organic food products in Canada has been experiencing rapid growth and thanks to research being carried out by Canada Research Chair Dr. Derek Lynch and his team at NSAC, the practice of organic agriculture in Canada will soon have more scientific backing.

Imported products supply over 85 per cent of the domestic market of organic food products in Canada. At the same time, large export markets for certified Canadian organic products exist in the US, Europe and Japan. To meet these market opportunities, Canadian organic producers must develop strategies to farm both successfully and sustainably.

Lynch has already made significant progress in examining crop and livestock systems characteristic of organic agriculture, with an emphasis on system productivity, resource use efficiency and soil quality. In addition, he has contributed to the development of innovative nutrient and crop management practices tailored to organic production.

As the organic industry grows, claims of benefits with respect to food safety, product quality and environmental integrity are under increasing scrutiny, both nationally and internationally. While organic farmers face many of the same production challenges as other farmers, they must adopt a long-term, integrative approach to the special needs of their farming practice. With support from Lynch’s multi-scale, on-farm and station-based research program, they will be able to do just that.

The Canada Research Chairs program is designed to attract the best talent from Canada and around the world to help universities achieve research excellence in natural sciences and engineering, health sciences, social sciences and humanities while training the next generation of highly skilled people.