MSEG : Primary Objectives

The Project has three main objectives

1. Address issues concerning sustainable food systems by:
- Improve access for the McGill and local community, to quality, sustainably grown, local foods
- Demonstrate the university’s first closed-circuit food system through cooperation with the student-run Mac Happy Belly and Gorilla Compost groups (please refer to Appendix B)
- Publicize these results and be an example to the community by providing their produce through the Ste. Anne’s Farmer’s Market and McGill Farmer’s Market
- Rehabilitate conventional agricultural land for preparation as an organic research field, which takes an average 3 years to become fully certified
This objective in particular will enhance the culture of sustainability at McGill and Macdonald.

2. Education and community outreach regarding ecological agriculture:
- Building on the foundation of education and outreach established by the former summer’s student garden such as
- Emphasize research projects already in the works such as vermicompost and pest control, and attract additional student and faculty research projects that require sustainably managed fields (i.e. UNIS)
- Connecting academic agriculture knowledge with the McGill and local community through workshops, lectures, meetings, demonstrations and publicity days

3. Engage the campus community in all aspects of ecological agriculture
- Providing a living classroom for many of the professors on campus, some of whom are already involved in the planning of this coming year’s plantation and management
- Establishing a profile as a club on campus to improve student accessibility
- Taking an active role in the Macdonald Food Systems Project to connect stakeholders such as the Horticulture Centre, the Farm, UNIS, etc.
- Employ motivated students to expand their field of knowledge in this area of extreme interest and importance to our global society