Born in Sarsfield, Eastern Ontario, Laurent Farmer studied agronomy at the Collège d’agriculture d’Oka, in Quebec. After graduating, in the late 1940’s, he became an agronomist in New-Brunswick, a position he held for three years.
In 1951, he returned to Eastern Ontario to succeed Ferdinand Larose as the chief agronomist of Prescott County, a position he held until 1983. When he passed away, in 2007, the extent of his legacy could already be seen in Eastern Ontario’s agricultural sector.
His mandate was marked by the “green revolution” in Eastern Ontario. With larger farms, new production technologies, new crops and the mechanization of farming, producers greatly needed the smart advice from their agronomist. Laurent Farmer, as a competent professional and an outstanding communicator, always lived up to their expectations.
A dedicated Franco-Ontarian, he worked tirelessly to ensure that the Francophone farmers in Ontario could get the services they needed in their own language. In the last years of his career, he reportedly played a vital role on the team that campaigned for the establishment of the Alfred College.