2021 Agricultural Society Innovation Award recipients

Feb 14, 2022

This award celebrates new initiatives and innovations ag societies have undertaken that positively impact their communities.

‘Alberta’s agricultural societies continue to demonstrate significant initiative and resilience with new innovations that have a positive impact on their communities,’ says Susan Lacombe, program coordinator with Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development. ‘For their efforts, 2 agricultural societies have been recognized with the 2021 Agricultural Society Innovation Award—Calmar & District Agricultural Society and Rocky Mountain House Agricultural Society.’

In 2021, the Calmar & District Agricultural Society and local curling club were gifted a piece of land to farm. Using donated materials, machinery, seed, fertilizer, crop insurance and a host of volunteers, profits from the harvest were distributed to the curling club and other Leduc County charities and organizations, resulting in a tremendous impact in the local community.

The Rocky Mountain House Agricultural Society has been involved in the in-person Grade 4 Education Agricultural Tour for years. Due to COVID-19, a new approach was required, which resulted in the development of a series of agriculture education videos. These videos featured local farms and producers covering a wide range of topics from farm safety, equine safety and dairy, beef and sheep production, to information on 4-H steers. These videos have also been available to the public, and can be incorporated into future in-person educational programming.

Award recipients were presented with a recognition banner and framed certificate at the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies annual convention during the evening banquet on February 4, 2022.

‘This award allows us to work together to champion and celebrate the significant contributions that agricultural societies make, while inspiring others to take action. Agricultural societies matter and this is one small way for us to say thank you for the critical work they do in building a stronger Alberta,’ says Lacombe.

Source : alberta.ca

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.