Northern Lights College looking to build region-specific programming

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Northern Lights College wants to further local agriculture dialogue and create region-specific programming after being invited to join a Ministry of Agriculture and Food workshop this past November.

Students from the college’s Land and Water Resource Diploma program visited a 6,000-acre farm in Fort St. John, operated by David Wuthrich of PW Farms.

Wuthrich showed students their farming practices, machinery used, grain types, and explained the challenges farmers face as the seasons change. Staple crops include canola and wheat, in addition to growing specialized plants like timothy and fescue.

“During our visit, we explored the farm’s agronomic practices, the symbiotic relationship between soil health and crop rotation, and the modern technological tools enhancing their agricultural expertise,” said Mahtab Nazari, NLC’s Land and Water program instructor, in a news release.

Nazari is new to the Peace Region and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Plant Science and Agronomy from McGill University.

She was excited to learn about local agriculture, especially the Regional Extension Program, a research initiative launched by the province that studies best management practices for producers, noted the release. Nazari says students could help interpret data being collected by farmers.

Cindy Broberg, NLC’s University Arts and Science Chair and Instructor, and Tara Hyland-Russell, Vice-President of Academic and Research, also attended the workshop.

“It was great to see what’s going on locally and to connect with farmers in the region,” said Broberg.

“We want to work with local agricultural producers to develop new programming that focuses on sustainable agriculture practices,” said Hyland-Russell, noting the college is interested in building region-specific coursework.