Temple Grandin receives honorary degree from Dalhousie University
CBC News | Posted: May 9, 2015 12:07 PM | Last Updated: May 9, 2015
Grandin is known worldwide as an autism advocate and for designing more humane cattle slaughterhouses
Agriculture pioneer Temple Grandin was in Truro Friday to receive an honorary degree from Dalhousie University's agricultural campus.
Grandin is known worldwide for designing more humane cattle slaughterhouses, as well as for advocating for people on the autism spectrum.
Grandin was diagnosed as autistic as a young child and credits her autism for her success empathizing with animals.
She says about half of all slaughterhouses in Canada and the U.S. use systems designed by her.
Grandin's written many books about animals and autism, was one of Time's top 100 influential people of 2010.
Grandin works as a professor in animal science at Colorado State University.
For her, a big issue in agriculture is getting the younger generation into the business.
"Where I'm seeing a lot of younger people coming in are a lot of the niche markets. It's organic or it's free range or it's this," she said.
Jessica Fogarty is one of those people. She wants to return to Cape Breton to promote the economy through agriculture.
"I think that it's really important that we cherish the food that we eat, that we respect the food that we eat," said the plant science technology diploma student.
Grandin says that people with autism need more opportunities.
"They got to be stretched and they got to be stretched just outside their comfort zone," she said.