A new 20-year lease agreement will keep Lethbridge Polytechnic’s 395-acre research farm up and running. The deal was signed back in July. The polytechnic will continue its research to meet the evolving demands of the ag industry. “Having a long-term access to a prime piece of research facility really is important. We really are appreciative of the government for giving us this long-term lease,” said Lethbridge Polytechnic VP academic and research, Kenny Corscadden. The province is also thrilled to have this deal done. They see being able to deliver on industry needs while also training the next generation of agriculture professionals as a huge positive. “When we look at the investments happening within our post-secondary institutions and the work they’re doing for the agricultural industry, we know it’s a key component for the growth in the industry and sustainability in the future,” said R.J. Sigurdson, minister of agriculture and irrigation. Research drawing interest Lethbridge Polytechnic’s research is getting noticed. Research Infosouce Inc. recently ranked it 9th among the top 50 research colleges in the country, up from 11th in 2023. “Research is very important. It really provides a direction for future growth. We’ve been doing agriculture research for just over 35 years. And it’s been growing fairly consistently over the last five years particularly,” said Corscadden. Research like this is set to become more important in the future. As the world deals with population growth and climate change improving agricultural efficiency is vital. The province is also keen to expand Alberta’s ag sector. “Agriculture is our second largest industry. And when we look at diversification of our GDP here in the province, agriculture is a solution to exactly that,” said Sigurdson.
