Faculty of Agriculture teams with Ontario's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

It’s a regal affair — and the largest event in the world combining an indoor agricultural fair with an international equestrian competition.

And now, Toronto’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, better known as “The Royal,” is teaming up with Dalhousie to support agricultural education.

On Tuesday, Dal’s Faculty of Agriculture was announced as the official post-secondary education partner of The Royal. Together, the two partners will address educational pathways and career opportunities in agriculture and food with high school students, teachers and guidance counsellors.

The education-based partnership is a first for The Royal. Among many educational-related initiatives scheduled for the 2016 Royal this November, the Faculty of Agriculture will be the presenting sponsor of a guidance counselor symposium in association with the Ontario School Counsellors’ Association. It will also host a series of fast-paced, activity-based learning seminars about food and agriculture during the fair for high school teachers and students.

“We welcome the opportunity to challenge people’s understanding of modern-day agriculture,” said David Gray, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and principal of the Agricultural Campus. “Agriculture is grounded in developing and sustaining life at a fundamental level, but also developing communities around our agricultural activities and responding to the health and wellbeing of such communities, locally, nationally and internationally.  We look forward to partnering with The Royal on this endeavor.”

“Agricultural education has been a cornerstone of The Royal’s mandate for the past 94 years,” said Charlie Johnstone, chief executive officer of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. “With our Dalhousie partnership, we can take our focus on education to a whole new level and in the process, help our urban visitors better understand the opportunity that agriculture represents.” The Royal welcomes more than 300,000 visits annually, including more than 20,000 students and teachers — and thousands more parents and children.”

For more details on the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, visit royalfair.org.