J. Milton Bell was born on a farm at Islay, Alberta, 16 January 1922. He obtained his senior matriculation in 1939 at Scott, Saskatchewan and went on to graduate with a diploma from the two-year course in general agriculture at Vermilion, Alberta. He obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Alberta in 1943, a Master of Science in 1945 from McGill University, a Ph.D. in 1948 from Cornell University and a D.Sc. in 1986 from McGill University. Dr. Bell joined the Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Saskatchewan in 1948. He was head of the Department from 1954 to 1975 when he assumed the position of Associate Dean (Research) in the College of Agriculture for five years. He retired in 1989, continuing his research as Professor Emeritus. Dr. Bell has contributed much to the animal industry through his nutrition research at the University of Saskatchewan and has published over 160 papers in scientific journals including book chapters. He has served on numerous agricultural committees across Canada, including the first chairmanship of the Research Committee of the Rapeseed Association of Canada, later the Canola Council of Canada. He was President of the Groupe Consultafatif International de Recherche sur le Colza (GCIRC), headquartered in Paris 1990-1993, and chaired the Eighth International Rapeseed Congress held in Saskatoon in July 1991. Dr. Bell has received numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Canada in 1973 and membership in the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1989.