From a news release
The Southwest Agriculture Conference (SWAC) features leading applied agricultural researchers, provincial agriculture specialists, and innovative farm managers and producers, all sharing their latest production, management or marketing strategies.
SWAC program presenters ‘give back’ to Ontario’s agriculture industry through sharing relevant experiences about modern farm technologies, big data, and leading best management practices. The goal of the Conference (held this year on Jan. 3 and 4) is to support Ontario’s future success at the farmgate and the Conference has been a popular life-long learning opportunity for 25 years.
At the annual conference, SWAC program speakers offer leading solutions for Ontario’s agriculture industry to ensure its bright future. University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus students do the same to support the Ridgetown Campus’ on-going success.
To celebrate SWAC’s 25th anniversary Ridgetown Campus wanted to do something special.
“We’re celebrating this conference milestone by recognizing student leadership excellence, particularly to students who have a significant positive impact on our student body and/or our campus success,” says Ken McEwan, Director, Ridgetown Campus. “These five-students demonstrate commitment to Ridgetown Campus through a wide variety of programs, leadership opportunities, and student driven initiatives.”
These students represent a student body excited about the future, and motivated by the diverse career opportunities in a global agriculture economy. Each of these students came to Ridgetown Campus for their own distinct reasons, excelled at Ridgetown, and have made significant contributions to their peers’ Ridgetown experience.
Today, we celebrate SWAC’s legacy of excellence with these 5 bright young women with a Westag Student Life Recognition award. These $2,000 recognitions have been provided by our Ridgetown Campus’ Learning Trust in support of recognizing leadership participation. The honourees have supported student learning, student leadership, student services, and each of them supports campus student recruitment efforts.
Our honourees come from across the province and they are all committed to leadership excellence.
We’re proud to recognize, in alphabetical order; Natasha Lugtigheid (Chatham-Kent), Morgan McNulty (Renfrew County), Sara Meidlinger (Chatham-Kent), Samantha Reid (Hastings), and Melissa Sinnige (Oxford).
These honourees contribute to a vibrant campus environment where 650 students learn, study and grow.
The student experience at Ridgetown campus encourages academic excellence, leadership development, student participation, and career discovery.
Reaching the 25th anniversary of the Southwest Agriculture Conference is a significant achievement. This leading, life-long learning program offers top-notch presentations from university research experts, provincial
agriculture professionals, and innovative producers.
The conference is the result of a long-standing vision and commitment to technology transfer between three leading organizations: the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus.
A committed team at the Ridgetown Campus’ Business Development Centre manages conference details.
The 25th anniversary event celebrates a legacy of agriculture excellence. The SWAC event replaced the former long-standing Farmers Week. SWAC is now a sold-out event welcoming 1,400 people per day for the two-day conference.
Pictured are the recipients of the Westag Student Life Recognitions. From left, Morgan McNulty, Renfrew, Samantha Reid, Stirling, Melissa Sinnige, Woodstock, Sara Meidlinger, Morpeth, and Natasha Lugtigheid, Chatham.
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