USask graduate embraces digital agriculture for career success

Ward will officially receive her Diploma in Agronomy and Certificate in Precision Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Spring Convocation on June 4.

The Precision Agriculture Certificate is offered by the USask College of Agriculture and Bioresources (AgBio) and is open to undergraduate students across disciplines such as engineering and computer science. Students learn about the technologies used in precision agriculture (satellite imagery, global positioning systems, etc.) to measure and manage variability in crop production to increase both yield and sustainability.

A summer job at her local Co-op Agro Centre inspired Ward to add the certificate onto her agronomy diploma program.

“This summer position is where I first used a digital scouting app to make field scouting reports,” said Ward. “I realized how useful digital agronomy is to agronomists and growers.”

Ward utilized Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) software in the lab portion of the certificate program to interpret digital elevation maps, yield maps and EM38 (electromagnetic soil mapping) data.

“We generated our own topographic, hydrological and Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) layers to determine the cause of within-field spatial variability and how it may impact yield,” said Ward. “The agriculture industry is constantly evolving and changing. Technology is becoming more prominent and is a good resource for increasing productivity and management of crops.”

Ward excelled in her classes and received the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists Prize to Top Diploma Graduate. This honour goes to the most distinguished diploma graduate in AgBio. She was also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. To become a member, students must be at the top 15 per cent of their academic program. 

Ward credits her involvement in 4-H, a club-based youth organization focused on hands-on experiential learning opportunities, for helping her develop professional skills.

“4-H has taught me so many skills that have helped me through my university academic career, such as public speaking and presenting,” said Ward.

Ward was a 4-H member for eight years and was one of the founders of her local club. Her first experience with USask was attending the Western College of Veterinary Medicine’s Equine Education Day as a 4-H member.

Ward has six horses along with her own small herd of cattle. She grew up on a grain farm near Broadview, Sask.

“I have always been immersed in agriculture and have lived on a farm my entire life,” said Ward. “When I was younger, I thought I wanted a career in the medical field, but the pandemic changed my mind about that. I choose to study agriculture because its industry presents a multitude of possibilities.”

The unique learning experiences offered by AgBio prepare students for these possibilities, allowing students to tailor their studies to their interests.   

“The College of Agriculture and Bioresources offers a lot of interesting job and volunteer opportunities for students,” said Ward. “My most memorable volunteer activity was travelling to Meadow Lake for the First Nations Farm and Food Festival for a soil science class. At the festival, I presented on soil water and nutrients.”

This experience was part of the SLSC 240.3 Agricultural Soil Science class taught by Dr. Chantel Chizen (PhD) and Dr. Chukwudi Amadi (PhD). Another soil science class, SLSC 312.3 Soil Fertility and Fertilizers taught by Dr. Jeff Schoenau (PhD), was Ward’s favourite class of her Agronomy Diploma.

“The highlight of the class was a field trip to the Goodale Farm to complete soil testing,” said Ward. “It was practical and insightful hands-on learning.”

Ward’s dedication to her studies has paid off and she’s begun a one-year development program as an agribusiness assistant with Richardson Pioneer. The development program covers agronomy, agribusiness, grain marketing and operations.

“This company utilizes digital agronomy and has its own scouting and grain marketing app,” said Ward. “This aligns with my precision agriculture knowledge that I’ve obtained from the certificate program. Throughout my University of Saskatchewan education, I’ve been able to broaden my learning experiences and think about what the future of farming may look like.”