School of Environment Research Informs Solutions for a Resilient Fertilizer Supply Chain in Canada
Research by professors Dr. Karen Thompson and Dr. Huy Dang, along with other experts leading field trials and industry collaborations at the Trent Farm Research Centre, is creating new possibilities for Canadian farmers
As Canada and the world look for ways to support global food security and sustainable food systems, innovative agroecological research at Trent University is showing promising results, and industry leaders are noticing.
Throughout the Trent School of the Environment and at the Trent Farm Research Centre’s 60-acre living laboratory, researchers are leading a range of applied field-based research projects investigating cover crops, soil microbes, carbon cycling, climate monitoring, and novel fertilizer formulations.
“The sustainability of our agri-food system depends on innovations and initiatives that build resiliency to climate impacts,” said Dr. Karen Thompson, director of the Trent Farm Research Centre and professor in the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program. “The projects and partnerships underway reflect the significant potential of Trent research to advance environmental stewardship while supporting local, national and global agrifood systems.”
Prof. Thompson is working alongside Dr. Huy Dang, an Environmental Chemistry professor and co-director of the International Institute for Environmental Studies, to develop a new generation of nature-based urea fertilizers. The novel formulations are intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrease reliance on chemicals, preserve soil health, deliver additional mineral nutrients, and strengthen crop productivity.
“Results are promising as the nature-based fertilizer we’re developing is close to being readily integrated in the Ontario production lines and delivered to growers coast-to-coast-to-coast,” said Professor Dang. “Initial lab and field trials have led to a final formulation at the last step of the Technology Readiness Levels.”
This project was highlighted during visits this spring from Madame Diana Fox Carney, a British-Canadian economist and climate policy expert and wife of Prime Minister Mark Carney, MP Emma Harrison, and representatives from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA).
Through a partnership with V6 Agronomy and support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the team at Trent is working to move these novel fertilizers from lab to marketplace. The new fertilizer will be produced in Ontario and integrated in the supply chain starting from V6's new terminal at the Port of Johnstown—an ambitious effort to reopen the Canadian agricultural gateway. This Trent research outcome contributes to strengthening Canada's domestic supply chain while supporting the expansion and diversification of Canada's marine-rail trade corridors, connecting the Prairies to the Great Lakes.
Work at the Trent Farm Research Centre reflects a commitment to regenerative and agroecological approaches and is generating practical solutions that benefit farmers, communities, climate resilience and the environment.
“Field trials, laboratory research, industry partnerships and commercialization are all key aspects of Trent’s interdisciplinary research ecosystem. The approach is helping advance the innovations needed to support the future of sustainable agriculture,” said Dr. Holger Hintelmann, interim vice-president, Research and Innovation at Trent University.