An Indo-Canadian head of an agricultural research station is one of 11 people to be inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame in June. Dr. Tarlok Sahota, the Director of the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station, is the first person from Thunder Bay to receive this honour.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

TORONTO – An Indo-Canadian head of an agricultural research station is one of 11 people to be inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame in June.

Dr. Tarlok Sahota, the Director of the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station, is the first person from Thunder Bay to receive this honour.

He has made great contributions in his work managing and sustaining the privately-run Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station and its successful transition to the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station.

Under the leadership of Dr. Sahota, the research station has always focussed on development-oriented agricultural research that found an easy application on farms, due to vigorous extension efforts of Dr. Sahota and receptive farmers.

Until 2004, Thunder Bay producers grew only a few crops that were needed for cattle. Dr. Sahota’s research and extension helped area growers to diversify their cropping systems by adding numerous crops to their mix.

He has authored hundreds of publications, extension articles and participated in media reports.

Thunder Bay farmers rely on research conducted by Dr. Sahota to make their businesses more profitable and environmentally sustainable.

The Thunder Bay Federation of Agriculture nominated Dr. Sahota, for which he is very grateful.

“This induction means a lot to me,” Dr. Sahota said.

“It is a recognition of the farmer-focussed research that I perform at LUARS. It is also a recognition of the Northwestern Ontario farmers who brought prosperity on their farms and in the rural communities by quickly adopting my research.”

All individuals have been selected by the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame Association as worthy candidates based on their life-long commitments to Ontario agriculture.

The inductees will be recognized in a ceremony on June 11, bringing the total number of inductees recognized since 1980 to 256. To qualify for this prestigious recognition, inductees must have shown visionary leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

“Congratulations to Dr. Sahota on being inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame. This is a great honour and represents a long career of work providing valuable extension work to our Agricultural community,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.