Lakeland College's bin yard at the Vermilion campus received a boost Friday with the addition of a new 5,000-bushel grain bin, courtesy of Meridian Manufacturing Ltd.
"Meridian's generous donation of this grain bin is an important step in our Student-Managed Farm Revitalization plan," says Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, Lakeland College's president and CEO. "Ensuring our agricultural sciences students have access to the equipment, facilities and technology they need to make critical decisions on our Student-Managed Farm - Powered by New Holland (SMF) is an essential part of their educational experience. With this donation, Merdian is investing in more than just bin yard - they're investing in the agricultural leaders of tomorrow."
Crop technology students have long advocated for increased grain storage on Lakeland College's SMF. The additional storage gives students a larger window of time to market grain, helping them hone their marketing skills and potentially capitalize on stronger prices. The new bin is also equipped with an aeration system to cool and dry grain, further enhancing learning opportunities.
"Meridian is proud to support the next generation of agricultural leaders through our donation of a grain bin to Lakeland College's SMF," says Jacob Welde, Meridian's marketing manager. "We are very excited to contribute to a program that provides such valuable, hands-on learning opportunities. At Meridian, we believe that real-world experience is essential in shaping confident, capable farmers and the SMF is a perfect example of this in action."
Lakeland's Student-Managed Farm Revitalization Plan is part of the Farm Master Plan which was finalized in 2023. A revitalized SMF will set a new benchmark for immersive agricultural education in Alberta and align with industry best practices.
Photo: (Left, back row) Kevin Malica (Meridian Manufacturing Ltd.'s national accounts manager and a Lakeland College alumnus) joins (Left, front row) Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart (Lakeland's president and CEO), (right, back row) Todd Sumner (Lakeland's vice president, academic), and faculty and students from the School of Agricultural Sciences to celebrate the arrival of a new grain bin donated by Meridian.
