Key Takeaways:
- Ag-West Bio adds Chantel Chizen and Kathy Larson to its board of directors.
- Chizen, a PhD candidate, brings expertise in soil carbon management and digital soil mapping.
- Larson, a research associate, focuses on beef, forage, and farm management research.
- The new appointments aim to strengthen Ag-West Bio’s mission to grow Saskatchewan’s bioeconomy.
Saskatchewan bioscience industry association Ag-West Bio has welcomed two new members, Chantel Chizen and Kathy Larson, to its board of directors following the annual meeting in September. The addition of Chizen and Larson is expected to bring valuable expertise and insights to support Ag-West Bio’s mission to foster growth within the province’s bioeconomy.
New Expertise in Agricultural and Soil Sciences
Kathy Larson serves as a professional research associate in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan, where she holds a Strategic Research Program Chair position focused on beef, forage, and farm management research. Her role is supported by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and emphasizes extension work to advance local agricultural knowledge.
Chantel Chizen, a PhD candidate in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan, specializes in soil carbon management, digital soil mapping, and soil science education. Her work aims to further understanding in sustainable soil management practices, which are key to advancing Saskatchewan’s agricultural potential.
Karen Churchill, President and CEO of Ag-West Bio, expressed enthusiasm for the board’s new members, saying, “With their diverse backgrounds and experience, our board members bring fresh perspectives, and that is key to staying ahead of the curve. Chantel and Kathy have valuable skillsets, and I look forward to working with them and all our excellent board members as we continue to pursue Ag-West Bio’s mandate of strengthening Saskatchewan’s bioeconomy.”
Ag-West Bio Latest News
Invests $300,000 in NULIFE GreenTech to Scale Carbon Removal and Waste Transformation Technology (2024/09/20)
Ag-West Bio has invested $300,000 in NULIFE GreenTech, a Saskatoon-based startup that aims to transform waste into sustainable biocrude oil. NULIFE’s HydroThermal Liquefaction (HTL) technology diverts agricultural residues, food manufacturing waste, and sewage sludge from landfills, offering a scalable solution for carbon removal and tackling the global waste crisis. The technology eliminates 95% of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are linked to negative health impacts and persist in the environment for long periods. Frontier, a prepurchase cycle for carbon removal technologies, has selected NULIFE GreenTech as part of its 2024 prepurchase cycle. The investment will enable NULIFE to expand its commercial pilot and launch a full-scale commercial plant in late 2024/2025.
Releases Diverse Field Crops Cluster Research Report (2023/06/08)
Ag-West Bio has released the 2018 to 2023 Diverse Field Crops Cluster (DFCC) Research Report, detailing the progress made by Canadian scientists on 16 special crops over the past five years. The report highlights the importance of diversification for the sustainability of the agriculture sector, including maintaining soil health and productivity. The DFCC program aims to increase the value of high-potential crops, provide producers with more cropping options, break disease and pest cycles, and provide market opportunities. The report highlights successes such as improved mustard, flax, camelina, hempseed meal, sunflower and quinoa varieties, and shelf-stable canary seed flours for the food industry.
The full report is available on the DFCC website.
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