Allan Dawson and Michael Eskin are recognized for their contributions to agricultural journalism and canola research

The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame has inducted two new members: Allan Dawson and Michael Eskin.
Dawson is being recognized for his contributions to agricultural journalism in Manitoba.
He began his career in 1980 as the farm director at CISV Radio. He freelanced for The Valley Leader and Grainews before joining the Manitoba Co-operator in 1983.
Later, he and six colleagues founded Farmers Independent Weekly, which merged with the Manitoba Co-operator in 2007. He worked there until his retirement last July.
Dawson won the Manitoba Institute of Agrologist Journalism Award in 1993, and his reporting garnered recognition from the North American Agricultural Journalists Association and the Canadian Farm Writers Federation.
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He was president of the NAAJA in 2022-23 and has been a member of the Manitoba Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association for decades.
Eskin is being recognized for his contributions to canola innovation and utilization. Since beginning his tenure at the University of Manitoba in 1968, he has played a pivotal role in transforming canola into the country’s most profitable food crop.
Eskin’s work includes characterizing enzymes responsible for fatty acid breakdown in canola and demonstrating optimal frying parameters and stability for various food products. He has also highlighted the hedonic attributes and preservation of canola oil in food, emphasizing its nutritional benefits and shelf-life characteristics.
He has also studied the antioxidants and vitamins present in canola seed, meal and oil, showcasing their positive impact on human and animal nutrition.
Eskin has worked extensively with national and international scientists, including esteemed researchers such as the late Baldur Stephansson, Bruce McDonald, Marion Vaisey-Genser, James Daun, Usha Thiyam-Hollander and Vivian Bruce.
His writing includes 150 peer-reviewed papers and 18 textbooks, including Biochemistry of Foods.
Eskin was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and has received awards from the American Oil Chemists’ Society, the Institute of Food Technologists and the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. In 2016 he received the Order of Canada and in 2021, the Order of Manitoba. This year he received the title of Distinguished Professor at the U of M.
