The ROI celebrates rural Ontario youth

Jun 16, 2016

Youth Engagement Showcase features 4 individuals

By Andrea M. Gal
Managing Editor
Farms.com

On June 14^th, the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) released four short videos as part of its Youth Engagement Showcase (YES). The Showcase is a new ROI initiative to highlight how rural youth contribute locally.

The documentaries profile Eric Duncan of Winchester, Emily Morrison of Beaverton, Megan Raftis of Harriston, and Branden Trochymchuck of Thunder Bay. Almost 50 youth were nominated for YES.

Duncan serves as the Mayor of North Dundas and has served on council since he was 18.

Morrison works at the Brock Youth Centre, helping youth develop their own businesses.

Raftis created a youth theatre program for the Grey-Wellington Theatre Guild.

Finally, Trochymchuck is a student at St. Ignatius High School who is very active in his community.

“We know that engaged youth are more likely to return to their communities after post-secondary education. Inspiring youth leadership and rural youth to step up and make a difference in their towns is something the Rural Ontario Institute is passionate about,” says Rob Black, Chief Executive Officer with ROI.

The focus on rural Ontario youth continues with the upcoming Rural Ontario Summit. According to Arthur Potts, MPP and Parliamentary Assistant for the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Summit will explore ways to draw youth to rural communities and to keep them engaged.

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.