Claire grew up far away from the world of agriculture, however a summer job at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) allowed her to learn about the industry and develop a passion for the people and the work.

Claire received a BSc. from the University of Waterloo in environmental sciences with an ecology specialization. She then went on to complete her MSc. in environmental sciences at the University of Guelph-Ridgetown Campus. Her masters work focused on legume cover crops and nitrogen cycling in commercial corn systems.

Claire has previously worked for OMAFRA (now OMAFA) as a soils research technician and Penn State Extension as an extension educator in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Currently, Claire is an instructor at Algonquin College in the Business Agriculture Program teaching agronomy courses to both first and second year students. Additionally, she is an educator with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario for Renfrew and Lanark Counties. Finally, she works as an independent agronomists for local companies and farmers assisting with research projects.

When Claire is not working she is at home in Renfrew with her family.

Claire is also a certified crop advisor (CCA) and articling agrologist with the Ontario Institute of Agrologists (OIA)

Laura Neill - Soil Health & Field Advisor

Laura is a local farm kid through and through. She was brought up driving tractors and catching turkeys.

She grew up on a family farm just outside Arnprior, Ontario, where agriculture was more than a way of life—it was part of her family’s identity. The farm included cattle, chickens, sheep (until they ran through the last fence), turkeys, cash crops, and an agricultural tile drainage business that she worked at alongside her dad, Peter Neill and grandfather, Leslie Goddard. Those early years instilled in her a deep respect for the land and an understanding of how water management, soil health, and practical farm systems work together to sustain productivity.

Laura studied Biotechnology at St. Lawrence College, earning her Advanced Biotechnology Technologist Diploma, and later applied her skills at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada. Her lab experience spans plant health, molecular biology research, inorganic fertilizer analysis, and animal health microbiology, as well as chemical and oil spill emergency response.

In recent years, Laura worked with Valley Bio Ltd., contributing to seed and business development. While there, she also earned her Advanced Drone Pilot License and gained experience applying cover crops and seed by drone—combining technology, precision, and agronomy to help farmers improve soil health and sustainability.

These days, when she’s not out in the field or working with farmers through her own agronomy business, you’ll find her at the local sale barn on “Mental Health Tuesdays,” sorting cattle and helping out in the office—a nod to her lifelong love for livestock and community.

When she’s not working, Laura has been learning to ride horses, and enjoys spending time with her family, often outdoors or around the farm, where most conversations still seem to come back to crops, cattle, or the next big idea. She brings together her practical farm background, scientific expertise, and passion for helping people to build healthier soils, more resilient crops, and stronger farm systems across Ontario.