Professional agrologist
Professional agrologist (abbreviated P.Ag. or PAg) refers to members of the self-regulated agrology profession in Canada. A professional agrologist is an individual dedicated to contributing to the prosperity of Canada’s agri-food industry by providing unbiased and professional expertise. Professional agrologists are guided by a strict code of ethics to ensure that Canada’s agri-food and health products are of the utmost quality. They come from many diverse fields such as agriculture business, animal science, food science, genetic engineering, and soil science. The P.Ag. protects the interest of the public by licensing and safeguarding the competence of agrologists. Professional agrologists are committed to growing the industry and the business. Their purpose is also to enhance the quality of professional development for colleagues within the industry. Agrology is a self-regulated profession and each province has a Provincial Agrologist Act which defines the scope of the profession and the practice of agrology. The act also defines the qualifications required for the right to practice. There are approximately 6000 professional agrologists in Canada, registered in 10 provincial institutes of agrologists.
Becoming a professional agrologist
While the process varies slightly between provinces becoming a professional agrologist requires a formal education in agriculture followed by an articling process. The articling process lasts approximately two years and is meant to develop a better understanding of the rights, responsibilities and obligations of a professional agrologist. While working with a mentor the articling agrologist (A.Ag. or AAg) gains experience and opportunities that will help integrate them into the profession. After completing the articling period and being evaluated by their peers the title of P.Ag. is bestowed granting with it the rights and responsibilities of a professional agrologist. Professional agrologists have a continuing commitment to professional development and constantly seek to improve upon their skills and education.
Internationally educated agrologists
Recently the Ontario Institute of Agrology (OIA) in Guelph launched a new initiative to attract and develop international agrologists. Through this program newcomers to Ontario or current residents with agricultural degrees (or their equivalent) from Colleges, University or other educational institutes abroad can receive assistance from the OIA and Ontario’s professional agrologists to get registered to practice the profession in Ontario. The program hopes to entice 300 new agrologists over the next 3 years to add to the critically important group of Professional Agrologists. This is the first program of its kind for agrologists in Canada although similar programs exist for engineers, teachers and medical professionals.
