As research at Trent University continues to break new ground in a variety of disciplines, the pioneering Trent Research Farm is celebrating a milestone achievement that will benefit students, academics and local farmers alike.  

Trent University's Board of Governors approved a proposal that the Trent Research Farm be designated as an official Research Centre. This new status will bring additional funding and support for its growing research initiatives. Faculty and students from multiple academic disciplines will continue collaborating on research projects related to food security and sustainability, with aims to address distinctive regional issues for local farming communities.  

“Sustainable agriculture is one of the priorities in our Strategic Research Plan, and the establishment of the Trent Research Farm provides continuity and stability for the important research we are conducting,” says Dr. Holger Hintelmann, vice president of Research & Innovation at Trent. “We envision the Centre as an active learning hub for academics and students from a variety of disciplines, including environmental and life science, chemistry, biology, education, and Indigenous studies.”

In addition to being established as a Research Centre, the Trent Farm is also settling into a new and improved home – a 35-hectare parcel of land on the East Bank of campus, where new facilities are being built and a new well dug in support of the farm’s ongoing research activities. 

Dr. Karen Thompson, the Centre’s inaugural director and associate professor in the Trent School of the Environment, says the additional funding and support will result in a better student experience and increased opportunities for experiential learning.  

“Having more administrative support for research activities means that we could explore conducting additional student research projects in the field and incorporate experiential activities at the farm into undergraduate classes as well,” she says.   

One of the unique aspects of the farm is its focus on challenges faced by local farmers in the region, says Dr. Thompson. Agricultural research at other universities traditionally concentrates on large-scale producers.  

“We're really focusing on the needs of small-scale farmers, and we are working on field-based research to find innovative solutions relevant to their unique challenges,” she says. “So, I think we really fill an important niche.”

There are several ongoing research projects at the Centre, including finding quicker ways to determine soil health and the pursuit of a chemical-free fertilizer.

As development on the farm continues and research evolves, innovative new opportunities for faculty, students, and community members to work and learn together in the pursuit of a sustainable future will emerge.   

Learn more about the Trent Research Farm on their webpage.