The atrium at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources was filled as the announcement of the $15-million donation was made on Monday afternoon.

A large portion of the gift will establish the Nutrien Centre for Sustainable and Digital Agriculture, housed in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. The Nutrien Centre will focus on research, training and innovative technologies that accelerate faming into the digital age and create more sustainable and resilient food systems around the world.

Nutrien’s donation will support scholarships for agriculture and engineering students, according to company President and CEO, Ken Seitz

Additional money will be allocated for a state-of-the-art lecture theatre in the College of Engineering and an indigenous agriculturally based “Great Mother Earth” Knowledge Centre.

Over the past five decades, Nutrien and its predecessor companies have contributed $50 million to the University of Saskatchewan.

The USASK “Be What the World Needs” campaign sits at just over 90 per cent raised ($475-million) with about five months remaining.