As a microbiology student at the University of British Columbia, Rickey Yada struggled with his chosen path, until he received a recruitment letter from the school’s Food Science department and sat down with its chair. The young student had taken classes in chemistry, biochemistry and physics, and the administrator suggested Food Science addresses these disciplines as applied to food. Yada loved the idea, and the offer of a scholarship sealed the deal.

A member of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Kainai First Nation, also known as the Blood Tribe, is seriously committed to education, and agriculture is a main component. On a hot, late-July day, staff, students and community members gathered near Red Crow Community College in its expansive community garden.

Dubbed The Ultimate Food Truck, the customized semi-trailer features four core areas: technology, production, markets and food for thought. To tell the story of Canadian agriculture, digital elements such as touch screens, video displays and interactive maps are supported by fact boards and photo panels.