Lakeland College celebrated a welcome investment from Agrai-Dairy Mart to the Dairy Learning Centre by officially naming a classroom after the donor. Thanks to their $70,000 donation, the college will continue to advance agricultural education for future generations of dairy producers.

“Our Dairy Learning Centre gives our students access to the most advanced and emerging technology in the industry,” says Tracy Quinton, Lakeland’s dean of agricultural sciences. “We appreciate Agrai-Dairy Mart’s support as we continue to ensure our Dairy Learning Centre offers students the cutting-edge technology and hands-on experience they need to stay at the forefront of an evolving industry.”

As part of Lakeland’s experiential learning model, students in their second year of the agricultural science technology program majoring in dairy are charged with overseeing the college’s dairy herd. With faculty guidance, they make data-informed decisions on breeding, herd management, heifer replacement and more.

“This education model—where students learn by doing, using the same advanced tools found in industry—has a profound impact on their readiness and confidence,” says Quinton. “Partnerships like this one with Agrai-Dairy Mart not only strengthen our programs, but also create direct pathways for students to connect with employers and contribute meaningfully to the future of agriculture.”

Agrai-Dairy Mart has been involved with the Dairy Learning Centre since it opened in 2017 as a service provider. This donation is the first of its kind from the company, and in recognition of it, the classroom in the facility was named the DeLaval classroom, an honour unveiled at an event on January 9, 2026.

"The continued support of Agrai-Dairy Mart and DeLaval for Lakeland College reflects a shared commitment to developing the next generation of dairy professionals. By investing in hands-on education, modern technology, and student-focused learning, they help ensure graduates are well prepared to lead and innovate in the future of the dairy industry," says Brent Leyenhorst, owner of Agrai-Dairy Mart.

The Dairy Learning Centre is a state-of-the-art 46,600 sq. ft. facility where students can explore a variety of emerging technologies in the industry with a focus on maximizing automation and minimizing environmental impact. It houses the 280-head herd including 120 Holstein milk cows, replacement heifers and young stock, with learning areas dedicated to calf management, feed and nutrition, cow comfort, dairy-specific software and manure management. In addition to the robotic milking system, there is also a traditional milking parlor, an automatic feeding system and three indoor calf rooms, two with automated feeding systems.