Student-Managed Farm - Powered by New Holland

Lakeland is the only post-secondary institution in Canada where students manage commercial-sized bison, beef, crop, dairy and equine enterprises.

Today the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland (SMF) includes 3,700 college-owned acres and a variety of livestock including:

• purebred, commercial and extensive grazing beef cattle herds
• dairy herd
• bison herd
• horse herd
  
  

2nd year immersion in SMF

During your 2nd year in either animal science technology or crop technology, you can have a role in an SMF unit.

There is 6 livestock units and 1 crop team:

Members of these units may participate in committees to work on common goals for the entire SMF.

This means you'll make decisions as a member of a SMF unit. You’ll go to weekly meetings. You’ll set goals, follow a budget, make reports and do hands-on work. That work ranges from combining to calving. Your goal is running a profitable and sustainable agribusiness.

You’ll present your result to your peers, faculty and industry twice a year. Mid-term and end of term presentations chronicle your challenges, successes and suggestions for the future.

The Lakeland - New Holland partnership

 

In 2011 we began a partnership with New Holland. Since then we've been Lakeland's Student-Managed Farm - Powered by New Holland.

New Holland Agriculture and Lakeland extended their partnership in 2021 with a 10-year, multi-million-dollar agreement that will see New Holland continue to provide equipment to Lakeland.

The partnership includes an endowment fund for awards, sponsorship of the annual Band in the Sand and holding educational events on campus.

What students say

 

"While attending Lakeland College, I had the exciting opportunity to operate New Holland Agriculture’s latest technology through the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland.

"We use New Holland equipment on our family farm because of its quality and the customer support we receive from Webb’s Machinery, so I felt confident in operating the equipment at Lakeland and helping my classmates when needed.

“The practical knowledge I gained from the SMF allowed me to connect the concepts I learned in class at Lakeland and then the University of Saskatchewan.

"I am grateful for the skills and confidence that Lakeland and New Holland Agriculture have provided me through the SMF. This experience has positively influenced my academic and professional growth.”

Courtney Cannan
Crop Technology, Class of 2022
University of Saskatchewan, Agronomy, Class of 2024

Photo: Courtney doing a soil test. She graduated from Lakeland College with distinction and led the SMF crop unit's marketing team.

SMF history

Lakeland's SMF started with crops in 1990. Animal science units were added in 2009. Watch for a complete timeline.

Awards

2022

• Agricultural Award from the Vermilion and District Chamber of Commerce Small Business Awards
• ASTech Award in the education sector, Regional Innovation Awards, from Technology Alberta

2018

• 1st post-secondary in Alberta to attain Verified Beef Production Plus certification, proof of the highest standards for food safety, animal care and environmental stewardship.

2016

• World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFPC) bronze Award of Excellence for leadership development.

2015

• 1st post-secondary in Alberta to complete an environmental farm plan.

2014

• World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFPC) silver Award of Excellence for college-industry partnership.