Keith Downey (agricultural scientist)

Richard Keith Downey, OC SOM FRSC (born January 26, 1927) is a Canadian agricultural scientist and, as one of the originators of canola, became known as the "Father of Canola".

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, In 1951 he received a B.S.A. and in 1952 an M.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1961. In 1951 he started working for Agriculture Canada, becoming in 1993 a Senior Research Scientist Emeritus. In 1993, he started his own firm and is president of Canoglobe Consulting Inc.^[1]

He worked with Baldur Stefansson to develop a variety of rapeseed that could be used as an edible oil.^[2] This is known as canola and is one of Canada’s top edible oils and one of the largest oilseed crops in the world. He is the breeder and co-breeder of 13 rapeseed/canola varieties and five condiment mustard varieties.

In 1998, "Downey Street" at a research and development park in Saskatoon was named in his honour.

Honours[]

• 1963 Bond Gold Medal, American Oil Chemists’ Society
• 1968 Public Service Merit Award, Government of Canada
• 1971 Honorary Life Membership Canadian Seed Growers’ Association
• 1973 Grindley Medal, Agriculture Institute of Canada
• 1975 Honorary Life Membership Saskatchewan Rapeseed Growers’ Association
• 1975 Royal Bank Award, Royal Bank
• 1976 Officer, Order of Canada^[3]
• 1976 Fellow, Agriculture Institute of Canada
• 1977 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
• 1979 Fellow Royal Society of Canada
• 1982 Century Saskatoon Award, City of Saskatoon
• 1986 Distinguished Graduate Award, University of Saskatchewan, College of Agriculture
• 1990 Gold Medal, co-recipient, Professional Institute of Canada
• 1992 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
• 1994 Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Saskatchewan
• 1994 Clark-Newman Award, Canadian Seed Growers Association
• 1995 J. Mcansh Award, Canola Council of Canada
• 1995 Eminent Scientist Award / Groupe Consultatif International de Recherche sur le Colza
• 1995 Médaille Chevreul / Association Francaise pour l’Etude des Corps Gras, France
• 1996 Hall of Fame, Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame
• 1997 Honorary Doctorate of Law University of Lethbridge
• 1997 Recognition Award, Canadian Seed Trade Association
• 2000 Honorary Life Membership Saskatchewan Agriculture Graduates Association
• 2002 Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame
• 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
• 2016 Saskatchewan Order of Merit
• 2017 Canola Influencer Award, SaskCanola

References[]