Lakeland College and New Holland Agriculture today announced details of a 10-year, multi-million dollar collaboration related to agricultural sciences programming and the college's Student Managed Farm (SMF) at the Vermilion (Alberta) campus.

The SMF has been renamed Lakeland College Student Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland. New Holland is now Lakeland's official agricultural and utility equipment sponsor.

As part of the agreement, New Holland will consign agricultural equipment to Lakeland on a rotating basis annually or as otherwise agreed upon. This academic year New Holland will provide approximately $500,000 in equipment including a T6050 Tractor, a WorkMaster75 Tractor, an L223 Skid Steer Loader, a manure spreader, and a BR7090 round baler. Lakeland will also receive four Rustler Utility Vehicles. Coincidentally, Rustlers is the name of Lakeland's sports teams. A combine is already on the list of equipment for next fall. During the 10-year collaboration, it's estimated that the total retail value of the New Holland equipment consigned to Lakeland will exceed $12 million.

New Holland also established a $100,000 endowment fund that will supply a number of annual student awards starting in 2013, Lakeland's centenary. A yearly spring event, New Holland Lecture Series, and opportunities for New Holland to have Lakeland serve as an experimental user of equipment in development is also part of the collaboration.

"We're proud to enter into this agreement with New Holland, a company that shares our passion for education and innovation," says Glenn Charlesworth, president of Lakeland College. "We have a long and successful history of working with Webb's Machinery, the local New Holland dealership. Scott Webb and his team have been very good to Lakeland and I know they played an instrumental role in getting this deal done."

The agreement ensures that Lakeland students are learning on the most current technology available. "Whether they intend to work on a farm or ranch, or pursue a career in the agri-retail sector, it's important that they have a working knowledge of modern agriculture equipment that makes precision farming possible," says Charlesworth.

"We believe Lakeland College's agricultural programs and philosophy of experiential learning are very unique and are in alignment with our needs in Western Canada and the needs of our dealers and customers in the area," says Andrew Marshall, New Holland's Canadian Director of Sales. "We're also very aware that the cost of education continues to rise so we're pleased to be able to provide financial assistance through the establishment of student awards."

Lakeland College first introduced its Student Managed Farm concept in 1990 with the crop technology program. It was expanded to the livestock side in 2009 and now features crop, beef, sheep and dairy units.

Students are members of a finance, production or marketing committee and meet regularly to make management and production decisions that are put to test on Lakeland's Student Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland. At the end of the academic year, students present results to industry representatives. It's a powerful learning tool, says Josie Van Lent, dean of agricultural sciences.

"Not only do the students learn more about crops or livestock, but they also learn more about the business of agriculture. As they work in teams to manage these units, they also develop decision making, organizational and interpersonal skills that will serve them well regardless of what career path they pursue," she says.

For more information, visit www.lakelandcollege.ca.

Background

New Holland Agriculture

New Holland Agriculture has been serving the needs of farmers and ranchers across North America for more than 110 years. New Holland Agriculture sells and services an innovative line of agricultural equipment, including a full line of tractors, hay and forage equipment, harvesting, crop production and material handling equipment. New Holland Agriculture is a division of CNH Global, a majority-owned subsidiary of Fiat Industrial.

Lakeland College

Established in 1913 as the Vermilion School of Agriculture, Lakeland College offers more than 50 credit programs and serves more than 8,000 students each year. Lakeland College has campuses in Vermilion, Alta. and Lloydminster, Alta./Sask.

  • Agricultural sciences programs include agribusiness, animal health technology, animal science technology, crop technology, general agriculture, veterinary medical assistant, and western ranch and cow horse. Approximately 350 students are expected to take agricultural sciences programs at Lakeland this academic year, an increase of more than 40 per cent from five years ago.
     
  • Students involved in Lakeland College Student Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland have access to 1,700 acres of college-owned land, purebred Black Angus and commercial cattle herds, Dorset and Arcott sheep, and Holstein and Jersey dairy cattle.
     
  • In December 2010, Lakeland finalized the purchase of 100 per cent of the shares of Barrhill Farms Ltd. of Vermilion. The purchase included 900 acres of cultivated land and 500 plus acres of pastureland.