ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER INDUSTRY NEWS 11 continued on page 12 Van Acker, who was raised on a tobacco farm near Burford, Ontario, was appointed to the university’s top post on July 2, 2025. He’s the first University of Guelph alum to be named president of the institution, and the second Aggie. Dr. Burt Matthews, who served as president from 1983 to 1988, graduated from the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) in 1947, before the university became a degree-granting institution in 1964. Between Matthews and Van Acker, University of Guelph presidents ranged from neuroscientists to Chinese scholars to publishing executives. Most of them knew little about agriculture. But with faculty, staff, and students behind them, they connected with the agri-food sector, shared a vision, and helped the university become Canada’s leading agri-food institution and a global leader in innovation. Van Acker’s appointment takes that connectivity a step further, at a time when geopolitics and other weighty factors are challenging society’s very fundamentals, such as agriculture and food production. There’s now a solid line that unites the University of Guelph’s president’s office and the farm community—with which Van Acker’s grassroots upbringing, along with his strong academic foundation in agriculture, has struck a resounding chord. “We’ve worked closely with Dr. Van Acker throughout his career to build research capacity relevant to grain farmers,” says Grain Farmers of Ontario CEO Crosby Devitt (OAC ’97). “His practical approach to partnerships with farmers made it easy to see tangible progress. We are excited to see Dr. Van Acker take on the president’s role and bring his strong vision to the entire University.” Stephanie Rempel, general manager of Wallenstein Feed and Supply, noted her company has collaborated with Van Acker on several key initiatives. "We’ve admired his dedication to advancing Ontario’s agriculture industry,” she says. “With a shared vision for supporting farmers and strengthening the industry, we look forward to his continued leadership and his lasting impact on the future of agriculture.” Adds Len Kahn (OAC '85), chief marketing officer for Kitchener-based agricultural technology company BinSentry: “Having a leader at the University of Guelph who not only deeply understands the value of agricultural technology but has consistently demonstrated that understanding through meaningful partnerships with both the university and industry, is an incredible asset. Dr. Van Acker’s proven ability to bridge research, innovation, and practical application ensures that the University of Guelph will continue to drive forward-thinking solutions that strengthen agriculture in Canada and beyond.” STUDENT TO LEADER The new president is a career academic. After graduating from OAC with a Bachelor of Science in 1990, he then earned his Master’s degree at Guelph and PhD at the University of Reading in the UK. He became an assistant plant science professor at the University of Manitoba in 1996. He returned to Guelph as chair of the Department of Plant Agriculture, then moved to Johnston Hall, the administrative home of OAC, in 2009 as associate dean, external. In 2016, he was appointed OAC dean, followed by vice-president of Research and Innovation in 2024. He served as interim president after then-president Charlotte Yates departed last year, before being appointed to the presidency in the summer. Van Acker is part of a first-generation Canadian farm family, one of three children born to Belgian immigrants who arrived in Canada in 1958 and began farming. He says that upbringing—including working in tobacco, arguably one of the most physically demanding jobs in agriculture—brought with it many lessons. “Growing up on a farm, with parents who were hard-working new Canadians, I learned how to work and how to see work that needed doing,” he says. “That has served me very well in my career. I also learned to appreciate how susceptible farming is to weather and to value good weather.” Van Acker, bottom right, pictured as an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph
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