Researchers, producers and industry come together for Canadian agricultural sustainability conference

The University of Manitoba plays host this week to Sustainability of Canadian Agriculture 2025, a free three-day virtual conference March 4-6 that will unite a diversity of stakeholders in exploring ways to enhance farming resilience and environmental stewardship.

Michael H. McCain, executive chair of the board for Maple Leaf Foods, will kick off the conference on March 4 with a keynote presentation on Canada’s efforts in sustainable agri-food.

Over the three days, themed sessions will feature special guest presentations followed by facilitated panel discussions.

• March 4 – “Indigenous Perspectives for a Secure Food System”
• March 5 – “Adopting Best Management Practices: Understanding Producer Decision-Making”
• March 6 – “Expanding the Boundaries of Agricultural Production Systems”

Throughout the conference program, viewers will have the opportunity to watch research presentations by graduate students who will share their findings through short videos. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top videos selected by a judging panel and conference attendees will select the winning video for a People’s Choice award.

The conference will also include a hands-on interactive workshop on the Holos model designed to estimate on farm greenhouse gas emissions.

For the second year, the conference will include the Ted Poyser Memorial Lecture in Soil Health, presented in 2025 by Dr. Laura Van Eerd from the University of Guelph.