This Chair is Green

Dr. Les Fuller is a champion of research and an agent of change for sustainable agriculture in Alberta.

If you want to see the future of Alberta agriculture, look no further than innovations like the recently established Chair in Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture (ESA) at the University of Alberta. Sitting in that chair is Dr. Les Fuller, a distinction that makes him unique in Canadian agriculture.

When Ty Lund, former Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, announced the creation of the ESA Chair last April, he stressed the importance of the Chair’s role in the future viability of the agriculture industry.

“Alberta farmers have always been good stewards of the land, but with the rapid rate of change in technology today, the more informed and connected farmers can be to research, the better,” said Lund. “Dr. Fuller’s work will help lay a research foundation for Alberta agriculture in this century.”

The ESA Chair was created following recommendations by the Alberta Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture Council, which is made up of members from industry and government. The position is supported for six years with $900,000 in funding from Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

Dr. Fuller, who began his duties as Chair last August, is responsible for research that proactively addresses the effects agricultural practices have on the environment and Alberta’s natural resources. As well, he is charged with ensuring research information is passed on to industry. Fuller will be integrating environmental sustainability with existing University programs and courses. Finally, the Chair is responsible for training new agriculture graduates in sustainable agriculture systems.

Says Dr. Ian Morrison, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Home Economics: “The connection the Chair creates between the agriculture industry and the research community will benefit both.”