In the fall of 2015, in his Introduction to Agricultural Policy course, Stuart assigned the research and writing of student blogs. Students were instructed to write a blog on a topic of their choosing in the context of Canadian agriculture and policy. Since then, he has kept this assignment in his syllabus, in hopes of getting students to pick a topic they are passionate about, carry out research, and present it to a wider audience who may not have the same exposure to the topic. The topics do not need to be policy-specific, such as a Bill or an Act, but rather an area that perhaps needs further consideration or is impactful on policy in general. As a result, he has many great topics, and also others that are clearly of interest, like plant vs beef protein, the labelling of GMOs, and lately carbon tax in agriculture. Every year, the top and most unique blogs are asked to be submitted to SAIFood. In total, 105 student blogs have been published.
This past year of student blogs, 2024/25
This past academic year, students showed strong interest in a variety of pressing agricultural and economic issues. Everyone had to submit their topic to ensure no duplicate topics, and from these five key themes emerged:
- Sustainability & Environmental Concerns – Topics like supporting biodiversity on farmland, deforestation, urban farming, biofuels, and methane reduction in cattle highlight a focus on sustainable agricultural practices and environmental protection.
- Economic & Policy Challenges – Issues surrounding land costs, supply management, railway capacity, fertilizer prices, and the financial strain on Canadian farmers suggest concerns about economic pressures and policy impacts.
- Labor & Workforce Struggles – The lack of qualified employees, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, and difficulties young farmers face in starting operations indicate interest in agricultural labor challenges.
- Technological & Industry Advancements – Lab-cultured meat, nitrogen stabilizers, and the Bunge acquisition point to discussions on evolving agricultural technologies and industry shifts.
- Indigenous & Local Agricultural Policies – Topics such as Indigenous agriculture policies, Saskatchewan land ownership, and water rights in Saskatchewan demonstrate engagement with local and Indigenous farming policies.
2024/25 Published Blogs
Overall, students were deeply invested in agricultural sustainability, economic pressures, and policy decisions shaping Canada’s farming landscape. It was very inspiring, and I only wish we had more students submit their final draft for publication on SAIFood, as they brought new light to these topics.
Going forward
While I would love to say SAIFood will be host to another year of student blogs, that is hard to say. With the surge of use of AI in writing, it offers some issues of copyright concerns. We help edit student blogs, but like any other piece published on SAIFood, the content is intended to be original and from the voice of the author. The growing use of AI in student work is of great concern, as it can be both a well used tool, and also a misused asset, which can take away from both the students own learning, ability to search and try to create an unbiased story, as well as it takes away their voice. Let’s be honest, sometimes the most refreshing part of student blogs is hearing the voices and concerns of our young industry.
So, while Stuart considers how he will approach this assignment in the future, it is Claire and I who are editors of SAIFood who need to consider if these are original works or AI stories. We hope that we can keep bringing you all insights from our great AgBio USASK students, but we do not know if they will be as frequent in the coming years of SAIFood.
Thanks to our students
To all those who have allowed us to share your student blogs, thank you! We know how much work goes into one blog, and the extra effort taken outside of grades and classes to have this posted on SAIFood. Students do not receive anything for having their blogs posted online; they do so as they are generous enough to share their hard work with us. Thank you again, and thank you to our readers who have shown such kind support to our student writers.
Special note from Savannah
With the exception of 2023, when I was on maternity leave, I have had the great pleasure of helping edit student blogs. While not all student blogs are published each term, we are always pleased by the number of students who receive invitations to resubmit their work. Typically, we invite more than 20 students to refine their blogs, and about half of them find the time to make the necessary edits for publication online.
I approach these edits with care, not changing the essence of a student’s voice, but ensuring that their writing holds up to the scrutiny of the internet. Since final marks are already assigned when we reach out, we ask students to invest additional time in polishing their blogs. As a former student myself, I was always eager for opportunities, but I recognize that this might not have been a priority for me at their age, so I sincerely appreciate those who take the time to make edits, add references, and ultimately share their work with SAIFood. These students belong to a special group, and I feel incredibly fortunate to work with them.
This assignment is something I truly hope remains in the syllabus for AREC 251. It pushes students to reflect on key aspects of communication. First, it asks them to identify what they are passionate about or concerned with. Then, it challenges them to consider their audience, those who may not be informed or invested in the topic, and to examine why that is. Most importantly, students learn that research is never one-sided; it requires the ability to step outside personal biases and consider multiple perspectives. In policy, this is what we need, but more importantly, for the future of agriculture, this is what we need: open minds, those willing to communicate, and the ability to listen and understand the other side of the coin 🪙.
As much as I would love to suggest some of my favourite blogs, I suggest you take a deep dive into what is available in our #studentblog archive.
