It was officially announced last week that the students, staff and faculty of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) will become members of Dalhousie’s Faculty of Agriculture, effective September 1. The campus will remain in Truro/Bible Hill and it will be known as the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus.

Why a merger between Dal and NSAC? The merger is intended to:

• build a national centre of excellence for research and innovation in agriculture, agri-food, and bio-resources
• give students at both institutions a broader choice of programs
• strengthen the schools’ ability to compete nationally and internationally for research funding and student recruitment (Source:  http://nsacdalmerger.ca/about/)

The merger also means the number of Dalhousie Libraries will grow to five, with the addition of the NSAC’s MacRae Library. The MacRae Library is the largest repository of agricultural resource material in Atlantic Canada. The library staff at Dal are looking forward to working with the staff at the MacRae Library, as we look at ways to blend our services and resources for students and faculty.

Welcome to the MacRae Library staff, and all the students, staff and faculty at the new Faculty of Agriculture. We’re looking forward to a successful academic year with you.