St Mary’s University in Calgary is launching a new certificate in Small Scale Food Production starting January 2026. Small scale food production includes all types of small production systems which are often located in or near urban locations.
This new high quality on-line certificate will be of interest to anyone wanting to work in this sector and/or people wanting to start their own small business! Give the recent resurgence of support for Canadian grown produce, we believe the time is right for these types of businesses!
The certificate is 5 months long in total and it is made up of 5, one-month courses. These courses will provide students with a solid foundation in small scale food production including the history and context of this sector, how to grow outside (in dirt), how to grow inside (controlled environments), what to grow, and how to succeed as a business in this sector. The certificate also includes a practicum where the students will either work with a small-scale grower or start their own small / micro business!
The course work is fully on-line. This means students can work from home when they want, provided they complete the course work during the timeframe of each course.
Importantly, these courses are fully supported and facilitated by two experts in this field. Students pursuing a small business will also receive 2 months of additional support after their formal one-month practicum has been completed.
Key Dates
• Starts January 2026
• Cost is $250 per course ($1,250 total)
• To register please visit the St. Mary’s website at: https://stmu.ca/programs/small-scale-food-production/ Thanks for your interest in this exciting and “growing” sector in agriculture 😊.
For more information, please feel free to contact me or visit the St. Mary’s website.
Tony Stolz
587 433 6060
Tony.Stolz@stmu.ca
