Nutrien supports the University of Saskatchewan’s campaign goals with $15 million transformational donation

Nutrien’s purpose is to Feed the Future. The University of Saskatchewan (USask) aspires to Be What the World Needs. As long-standing partners, we have joined forces and committed to creating a lasting positive impact for generations to come by advancing innovative and sustainable agriculture around the globe and preparing students to become the next generation of leaders.

In alignment with these goals, Nutrien announced a $15 million commitment – the largest single gift – to the University of Saskatchewan’s Be What the World Needs Campaign driving a new era of innovation, collaboration and success.

"We at Nutrien are proud to continue our decades-long partnership with the University of Saskatchewan through a transformative $15 million donation,” said Ken Seitz, President and CEO. “This investment supports research, education, and innovation that aims to tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Together, we strive to strengthen global food security and contribute to building resilient agricultural communities both locally and globally."

A large portion of the gift will establish the Nutrien Centre for Sustainable and Digital Agriculture, housed in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. The Nutrien Centre will focus on research, training and innovative technologies that accelerate farming into the digital age and create more sustainable and resilient food systems around the world.

“USask is a natural partner for us as we think about taking on cutting edge research to help our customers push yields, push profitability, but doing so sustainably because no one cares more about sustainability than farmers,” said Jesse Hamonic, Region Manager, Canada.

Nutrien’s donation will also establish the Nutrien Future Fund for the college, provide scholarships for Agbio students, and fund Indigenous and community engagement initiatives, like the
kihci-okâwîmâw askiy (Great Mother Earth) Knowledge Centre. The gift will also support scholarships for engineering students and the creation of a state-of-the-art lecture theatre in the College of Engineering.

“Nutrien is the world’s largest potash producer, with six low-cost mines right here in Saskatchewan,” said Trevor Berg, SVP Potash Operations. “By partnering with the university and specifically the College of Engineering, it helps ensure that Nutrien has a pipeline of great candidates to fulfill our purpose of Feeding the Future.”

As we strive to meet the needs of a growing population, we will require a new generation of skilled workers. This gift is set to provide students with enriched learning experiences, equipping them with advanced solutions to empower farmers in enhancing productivity, profitability and environmental sustainability. The University of Saskatchewan has played a key role in developing Nutrien’s workforce and remains key to our future growth.

"We are deeply grateful for this incredible donation which builds on our long-standing relationship with Nutrien over the past five decades,” said USask President, Peter Stoicheff. “Nutrien is our valued partner and the largest corporate donor in USask’s history, having generously invested more than $50 million dollars over the years to support the university's research mission and to help prepare our students to become the next generation of leaders."