Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine

What Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine does

The Deans Council – Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine (Deans Council AFVM) is a Canadian national consortium representing 13 university faculties whose mandates are research and training in agriculture, food science, and veterinary medicine. Headquartered in Ottawa and operating under a bilingual legal name (Conseil des Doyens – Agriculture, Alimentation et Médecine Vétérinaire), the Council functions as a coordination and advocacy layer across its member institutions rather than as a commercial entity. Its stakeholder base spans federal, provincial, and territorial governments, industry associations, and students/trainees moving through undergraduate, MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral programs.

The Council's two principal offerings are the National Ag, Food and Vet Med Education and Research Network — a long-standing infrastructure connecting crop, animal, and food scientists, economists, and veterinarians across Canada — and AgRISE (Agri-food Research, Innovation, Skills & Education), a coalition initiative launched to address highly qualified personnel (HQP) gaps in the agri-food sector through industry-academia workshops integrating engineering, IT, software, animal and human health. Its technology base is the aggregated research infrastructure of its member faculties (tenure faculty, experimental farms, field stations) rather than proprietary software or platforms.

The Council does not operate a commercial revenue model. There is no pricing, no disclosed revenue, and no venture or equity backing; it operates as a private professional association funded through member contributions, government engagement, and partner support. Its go-to-market is advocacy-driven: at-least-twice-yearly in-person meetings with parliamentarians and government officials, annual federal budget submissions, and event partnerships (e.g., CropLife Canada, Canola Council of Canada, CAAIN, CAPI, EMILI, GIFS, CAHRC). Strategic MOUs with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Luminary formalize policy coordination and Indigenous research collaboration respectively. Leadership is a lean two-person executive office (Executive Director Roger Larson, P.Ag. ICD.D; Executive Assistant Andrea Gagnon), with governance residing in the deans of the 13 member faculties.

Name

Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine

Legal name

Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine / Conseil des Doyens - Agriculture, Alimentation et Médecine Vétérinaire

Website

https://agfoodvetmed.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Deans Council AFVM is a Canadian national consortium of 13 university faculties in agriculture, food, and veterinary medicine that coordinates research, education, advocacy, and industry-academia partnerships such as AgRISE. It serves governments, industry stakeholders, and students across Canada without a commercial revenue model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Research Consortium

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (11521), Veterinary Services (541940)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterinary Medicine Universities (EDAHAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO), Animal Welfare Auditing, Compliance & Certification Services (Non-testing Lab) (AFAEALAN), Nutrition & Production Medicine Advisory (Transition Cow, Performance Optimization) (AFACADAI)

Keywords

• Academic research consortium
• Agriculture research network
• Veterinary medicine education
• Agri-food policy advocacy
• University faculty network

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine is a national coordinating consortium that represents 13 faculties at Canadian universities, providing a unified platform for collaborative research, undergraduate and graduate education, and policy advocacy in agriculture, food science, and veterinary medicine. Its primary deliverable is the coordinated academic network itself, along with the AgRISE initiative that addresses highly qualified personnel (HQP) needs across the agri-food sector.

Product overview

Deans Council AFVM is a coalition network representing 13 faculties at Canadian universities whose main mandates are research and training in agriculture, food, and veterinary medicine. The organization offers a unified network of academic programs, research expertise, and industry partnerships through two primary offerings: AgRISE (a skills and education initiative) and the National Ag, Food and Vet Med Education and Research Network. Together, these products provide undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral training while facilitating industry-academia collaboration for innovation in sustainable agriculture, food safety, and animal health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AgRISE: Agri-food Research, Innovation, Skills & Education workshops initiative addressing the evolving needs of the Agri-Food sector for highly skilled personnel (HQP).

Products and services

• AgRISE (Agri-food Research, Innovation, Skills & Education) A collaborative coalition initiative addressing the evolving needs of the Agri-Food sector for highly qualified personnel (HQP), integrating engineering, IT, software, animal and human health, science, and research through workshops and industry-academia partnerships.
• National Ag, Food and Vet Med Education and Research Network A long-standing national network connecting 13 faculties across Canadian universities, providing research and training infrastructure including tenure faculty, experimental farms, and field stations to support animal health, food safety, and agricultural innovation. Trains thousands of undergraduate, MSc, PhD, and postdoctoral students annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• Addresses evolving needs of Agri-Food sector for highly qualified personnel (HQP)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU to enhance relationship regarding development of agricultural policy and strengthening Canadian capacity in academic research and teaching to support sustainable economic growth and strengthen Canada's agri-food value chain.
• LuminarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMOU framework for collaboration to advance Indigenous multi-disciplinary research, innovation, education, and training in agriculture, food, and veterinary medicine sectors. Aims to achieve greater Indigenous participation in post-secondary education, research, and innovation.
• CropLife CanadasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgRISE event partner funding and hosting. Industry organization in the crop protection sector.
• The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgRISE event partner. Research institute focused on food security innovation.
• EMILI (Enterprise Machine Intelligence Learning Initiative)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst AgRISE event hosted by EMILI in Winnipeg in October 2022. Organization focused on AI and machine learning in agriculture.
• Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgRISE partner addressing human resources issues in agriculture. Joined discussions at Ag Ministers FPT to discuss skills development.
• Canola Council of CanadasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgRISE event partner. National industry organization representing canola producers and industry.
• Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN)supportingTechnology or IntegrationAgRISE event partner. Focused on automation and AI in agriculture.
• The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgRISE event partner. National institute providing policy analysis for the agri-food sector.
• North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth American platform among extension and rural advisory services organizations promoting innovation, knowledge utilization, and information sharing in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
• Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC)supportingOthersMember representation. National oversight system for animal-based science in Canada, developing standards for animal care and use programs.
• Animal Health Canada (AHC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember representation. Provides harmonized approach to animal health and welfare management in Canada. Addresses emerging diseases, surveillance, antimicrobial use and resistance.
• Canadian Plant Health Council (CPHC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember representation. Focuses on biosecurity, surveillance, and emergency response for plant health across Canada.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Universities Canada: Universities Canada is the national voice of Canadian universities, advocating on higher education, research, and innovation policy. It operates at a broader scale than the Deans Council AFVM but shares the same member-network advocacy model and federal government engagement function.

Others

• Enterprise Machine Intelligence Learning Initiative: EMILI is a Manitoba-based organization advancing AI and digital agriculture and hosted the first AgRISE event. While not a peer consortium, it is a relevant ecosystem partner for the Deans Council AFVM's digital agriculture and workforce initiatives.

Direct peers

• Agricultural Institute of Canada: AIC is a Canadian national institute representing professionals across agricultural science, research, and policy. It is comparable to the Deans Council AFVM in bridging academic, industry, and government stakeholders on Canadian agriculture, though it focuses on individual professionals rather than faculties.
• Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges: AAVMC is the US national counterpart that coordinates and advocates for veterinary medical colleges, academic veterinary medicine, and research. It mirrors the Deans Council AFVM's role for North American veterinary and biomedical academic institutions and engages with US federal policy makers on workforce and One Health issues.
• U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities: U15 is a collective of 15 leading Canadian research-intensive universities that coordinates advocacy, research policy, and government engagement. It shares the Deans Council AFVM's model of a dean-led consortium influencing federal research and innovation policy, operating at a broader disciplinary scope.
• Council of Canadian Academies: The Council of Canadian Academies produces independent assessments of science for Canadian policymakers. It is comparable to the Deans Council AFVM in marshalling academic expertise to inform government decision-making, though it operates across all scientific disciplines.

Emerging players

• GCHERA (Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences): GCHERA is a global network of higher education associations in agriculture and life sciences. It is comparable to the Deans Council AFVM as a peer consortium connecting agricultural universities across countries, though it operates internationally rather than within a single national jurisdiction.
• Canadian Federation of Agriculture: CFA is the largest national general farm organization in Canada and a formal MOU partner of the Deans Council AFVM. It is comparable as a national policy advocacy body for Canadian agriculture, but represents producers rather than academic institutions.
• Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute: CAPI is a national policy institute focused on Canadian agri-food policy analysis. It is comparable to the Deans Council AFVM in linking research, industry, and government on agriculture and food, but operates as a dedicated think tank rather than a faculty consortium.

Regional players

• Association of Public and Land-grant Universities: APLU is a US-based association of public universities including many land-grant agricultural institutions. It is comparable to the Deans Council AFVM as a US counterpart coordinating research universities on agriculture, food, and related policy, but does not directly compete in the Canadian policy space.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UofGuelphOAC
• Facebookfacebook.com/UofGuelphOAC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine