28 TAR SPOT, Afungal disease found in corn, was first discovered in the U.S. in 2015. Today, it has spread across the U.S. and in 20 Ontario counties west of Toronto. In less than a decade, this new disease has emerged as a leading cause for concern among corn growers, researchers, and the agriculture industry across North America. “The emergence of diseases is a major threat to crops worldwide,” says Dr. Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research) at the University of Guelph. Protecting grain crops from costly plant diseases, like tar spot, is the goal of a new $2 million gift to the University of Guelph from Grain Farmers of Ontario. FUNDING TEACHING AND RESEARCH The gift, announced at the Ontario Agricultural Conference on January 5, will Gifting a legacy INVESTING IN RIDGETOWN CAMPUS Mary Feldskov LEFT TO RIGHT: PAUL HOEKSTRA, RENE VAN ACKER, BRENDAN BYRNE, BRETT SHEPHERD, MALCOLM CAMPBELL, CROSBY DEVITT. PHOTO COURTESY OF LEAH SERAFINI. fund a new Grain Farmers of Ontario Professorship in Field Crop Pathology at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus. “This funding support from Grain Farmers of Ontario is significant for farmers and farms across Ontario,” says Brett Shepherd, Ridgetown Campus director. “It’s critically important that we be proactive, not just reactive, in identifying and developing strategies against these pathogens.” Industry News
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