2 University of Guelph members receive Order of Canada appointments

Two members of the University of Guelph faculty are being recognized for contributions in their respective fields.

Jeffery Farber and Lorne Hepworth were recently named to the Order of Canada for 2023.

Farber, an adjunct professor in the university’s Department of Food Science, was recognized for his significant contributions to improving food safety both within Canada and worldwide.

He served as a food science professor, director of U of G’s Centre for Research in Food Safety, and as head of the master’s in food safety and quality assurance.

Farber was the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award of the Public Service of Canada in 2010. In 2012, he received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and in 2023, received the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) President’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Hepworth was recognized for his exceptional contributions to Canadian agriculture and research “which have propelled the sector to new heights” according to a news release.

He is the chair of Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario and a retired veterinarian. Hepworth was also a Saskatchewan MLA (member of legislative assembly) from 1982 to 1991 and held several portfolios including agriculture, energy and mines, and education.

“I am delighted to see our faculty members, alumni and affiliates awarded with Canada’s highest honour,” says U of G’s president and vice-chancellor Charlotte Yates in a statement.

“Their work has certainly improved life across Canada and beyond and I could not be prouder of them.”

A total of 78 people were named to the Order of Canada in 2023 by Governor General Mary Simon.