An agriculture and environmental research firm based in Minto turned 40 years old in 2023 and was looking for a way to celebrate. 

The company decided to donate to Assiniboine Community College’s agriculture and environmental programs offered in Brandon.. 

Ag-Quest founder David Rourke says they wanted to help the students and ACC while promoting their business and celebrating the 40th anniversary. “This started about a year ago when Ag-Quest hit their 40th anniversary and I convinced our President Dana it would be a good idea to make the donation, so we decided the $40,000 was a nice round number to reflect our 40 years in business.” 

Ag-Quest, Inc. began operations in 1983 on a quest for agricultural research excellence through providing top quality, cost-effective research to the Agricultural Industry. They’ve been recruiting the people, machinery and research methods ever since to do exactly that.  

The company has a close relationship with ACC students and graduates. President Dana Maxwell says they decided to make their announcement on Canada’s Ag-Day to connect with students and to show them how important agriculture research is to Canada’s ag-industry. 

 

"This donation is huge and it's nice they thought of ACC to both celebrate their anniversary but to also help a couple of students each year. The $40,000 will go into a fund that will create two awards annually. The scholarships will support two students in need who are taking ag related programs," said ACC Vice President Derrick Turner.

“We have a number of full-time research and other positions that are filled by ACC graduates. In the summer we hire a large number of ACC co-op students. So, they achieve their four-month co-op education term, they’re getting income and a broad exposure to agriculture,” said Maxwell. 

Ag-Quest has several test plots and a staff of over 125. “We had over 50 summer students in 2023 and that’s at all out locations across Western Canada.” 

 

“It’s nice to give back and it helps some students, keeps our name in the community and with ACC. It shows we’re open for business and looking for good people while giving Ag-Quest some good recognition at the same time,” said David Rourke.