Lakehead agricultural research farm shows off latest crop science - Acadia Broadcasting
Several local farmers were at the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS) on Thursday for their annual tour of the farm, which houses almost 50 agricultural experiments. This year, LUARS is showing off new varieties of barley, wheat, canola, soybeans, corn, sorghum, and millet, as well as fertilizers and other plant products. The new crop […]
Several local farmers were at the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS) on Thursday for their annual tour of the farm, which houses almost 50 agricultural experiments. This year, LUARS is showing off new varieties of barley, wheat, canola, soybeans, corn, sorghum, and millet, as well as fertilizers and other plant products. The new crop varieties and plant products offer the region’s farmers options such as a greater tolerance for midges, better drought resistance, higher yields, or a more efficient harvesting process. Dr. Tarlok Singh Sahota, the director of LUARS, has been working at the research station and with the surrounding farming community for two decades. Each year, he leads the annual tour, showing farmers what is being worked on and what they might consider incorporating into their rotation of crops. “The philosophy behind the tour is seeing is believing,” says Sahota. “Once a farmer sees something happening here, they know that because it’s within their climate, it can also be done at their farms. ”Dr. Tarlok Singh Sahota shows off an alfalfa strain. PHOTO: SAM GOLDSTEIN/ACADIA BROADCASTING/JULY 30, 2026Sahota works closely with the farmers, offering advice and even visiting their fields to inspect crops. “I’m in constant touch with the farmers,” he says. “In the winter, for example, we sit together, and I help farmers to plan for the next season: you know, what fertilizer, what crops. ”Local farmers tour LUARS. PHOTO: SAM GOLDSTEIN/ACADIA BROADCASTING/JULY 30, 2026Allan Mol, a dairy farmer in the Slate River Valley, says LUARS is “always doing some new and innovative things in the way of cropping… it’s always nice to see what’s happening here, and you know some things might be useful for us to pick up. ”He says he’s gained knowledge on growing crops like spring wheat, winter wheat and corn, and alfalfa through LUARS. Much of the research at the facility involves taking on crops that are more resistant to drought or pests, other challenges associated with climate change, and a general focus on improving the resilience of farms. “The old ways we did things, we weren’t resilient when things like drought or high temperatures came along,” Mol explains. “We’ve learned how to work the soil differently, and to apply different things to the soil, different fertilizers, making sure that the soil is in good shape so that the crops can meet the challenges that we’re coming up against these days. ”Dairy farmer Allan Mol poses for a picture. PHOTO: SAM GOLDSTEIN/ACADIA BROADCASTING/JULY 30, 2026When it comes to improving soil health, Sahota highlights the importance of crop diversity, something LUARS specializes in. He explains that rotating between several different crops is necessary for preserving the long-term health of soil, as different crops add and remove different nutrients to and from the ground. “Fortunately, we have farmers growing at least half a dozen crops. Compared to Southern Ontario, they talk only about three crops: wheat, corn, and soybeans. That’s all,” Sahota remarks. LUARS also works with Thunder Bay Co-op Farm Supplies to source fertilizers, seeds, herbicides, and other products for the region’s farmers. “We follow [Sahota’s] recommendations, or the farmers do, and then we’ll just provide the product for it,” says the co-op’s general manager, Darren Fisk. “For instance a few years ago, he was recommending agricultural lime. So we brought in 11,000 tons of lime for the farmers. ”Sahota says the co-op helps farmers save on input costs, such as by purchasing fertilizer in the fall, when it is cheaper, rather than the following spring, when it is in higher demand. Some of the highlights of this year’s research include hulless barley (of black, purple, and Ethiopian varieties), which can be more nutritious thanks to the fact that hulls do not need to be removed before human consumption, a plant product called Envita that reduces the nitrogen fertilizing requirements of some plants by helping them breathe more nitrogen from the atmosphere, and winter camelina, which can be used for jet fuel. A sorghum crop at LUARS. PHOTO: SAM GOLDSTEIN/ACADIA BROADCASTING/JULY 30, 2026