OLDS, Alta. – How do you make a centre of innovation?
At Olds College, they started with a government vision to create a $20 billion a year value-added processing sector, blended in an innovative agriculture college, stirred in willing business partners, and mixed it with the desire to catapult research from the lab to the commercial world.
“The concept was to build four or five core areas of expertise around the college,” said Rick Tofani, Olds College chief executive officer.
It has grown beyond merging college expertise with the private sector.
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The innovation centre is similar to a chicken incubating an egg. It sits on the egg, nurtures it and sends the hatched chick on its way toward independence.
A building under construction will house six labs, a business resource centre and a product development application area.
The college is already working with agribusinesses as Transfeeder Inc, a densified timothy hay operation.
“Our model is Transfeeder. You can take compressed forage, develop a marketplace for it and in this area convert 400 farmers to grow and sell timothy,” Tofani said.
The concept started when Transfeeder needed engineering help to develop compressing equipment. The original densified hay unit was on college property and links were formed to develop a thriving export opportunity. Area farmers are now earning $300 to $400 per acre exporting their timothy.
The centre also attracts scientists. A researcher has been hired to work with the composting centre and another will soon start work at the natural fibre centre.
Work has started with black currant growers in Red Deer who are exploring the possibility of nutraceutical applications for their berries.
The centre is also involved with Caterpillar Inc. on an applied research initiative to investigate soil compaction problems.
So far, $6.1 million has been raised to fund the centre.
