George Morris Center to Disband, Transfer Assets Back to U of G

Jun 20, 2014

Canada’s only independent agricultural think-tank, the George Morris Centre (GMC), based in Guelph, Ont., announced that it will be moving to dissolve the organization within the year, and transfer its net assets as a gift to the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), which is part of the University of Guelph.

Prior to 1998, GMC operated as a stand-alone unit at the University of Guelph for about 10 years. The centre began with the late George Fletcher Morris, a beef and cash crop farmer from Merlin, Ontario. Morris was a highly respected leader in the agricultural industry. He played a pivotal role in working with the University of Guelph to create an organization that would focus on supporting agriculture policy analyses and research.

The 15-year think-tank encouraged research and policy discussion on agri-food issues. GMC would regularly publish research and market reports. Its research focused primarily on five key research areas: agribusiness intelligence, economics of agri-food policy, economics of food, health and sustainability, market analysis and value chain management.

"We are proud of the reputation and the provocative discussion that has been created over the years by a succession of dedicated GMC team members,” Bob Funk, board chair of GMC said in a release.

GMC operated under the direction of a board of directors (nine members) from across the country, representing the provinces of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

According to GMC, a transition team is in place to oversee the changeover back to the OAC at the University of Guelph.

Video: How Can We Grow More Food With Less Impact?

For over two decades, Dr. Mitloehner has been at the forefront of research on how animal agriculture affects our air and our climate. With deep expertise in emissions and volatile organic compounds, his work initially focused on air quality in regions like California’s Central Valley—home to both the nation’s richest agricultural output and some of its poorest air quality.

In recent years, methane has taken center stage in climate discourse—not just scientifically, but politically. Once a topic reserved for technical discussions about manure management and feed efficiency, it has become a flashpoint in debates over sustainability, regulation, and even the legitimacy of livestock farming itself.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and Air Quality Specialist with the CLEAR Center sits down with Associate Director for Communications at the CLEAR Center, Joe Proudman.