Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Maire-Claude Bibeau and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit announced nearly $8.1 million in funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership for 28 livestock and forage-related research projects through Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF). This includes $4.9 million in funding for 27 livestock and forage-related research projects and $3.2 million in operational funding for the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence.
The ADF is supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $388 million investment in strategic initiatives for Saskatchewan agriculture by the federal and provincial governments.
“Big investments in science and research like this make a real difference in the lives of ranchers and producers,” Bibeau said. “It creates a pipeline of new tools and practices that give our producers a competitive edge in the market. We are very excited to be partnering with the Province and industry groups on these many initiatives, which ultimately help grow our economy and support thriving rural communities."
“Research that impacts farm-level decisions, such as water quality, nutrition and animal care, can result in tangible benefits for the Saskatchewan herd as whole,” Marit said. “We’re making strategic investments in research that will help producers and agri-businesses reach the targets for 2030 that are laid out in Saskatchewan’s growth plan. The results of this year’s projects will support a sustainable, strong and growing livestock sector.”
Support from the ADF is awarded on a competitive basis to projects that create future growth opportunities and enhance the competitiveness of the industry.
“The partnership that this research funding represents is an important part of Saskatchewan agriculture,” Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association Chair Rick Toney said. “Having governments that will invest in research along with industry groups like the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association is a key part of growing our cattle receipts and staying competitive in this global business. We appreciate this partnership and the focus the government has on agriculture as a major part of the provincial economy and way of life.”
The ADF projects supported this year will explore a variety of areas of interest to producers, including: strategies to address mineral nutrition in the face of poor water quality, developing new and improved forages, and developing diagnostics supports. Projects will also examine cutting edge computing tools that will help the livestock industry manage genomic test data, assess risk, inform therapy decisions, and ultimately achieve more prudent antimicrobial use.
In addition to funds committed by the federal and provincial governments, the ADF is also supported by industry groups and other organizations. Livestock and forage projects are also receiving more than $650,000 from the following organizations: the Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, the Western Grains Research Foundation and Feedlot Health Management Services.
“This major funding to the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence ensures that we are providing the facilities, animals and land for scientists to conduct research that is relevant to producers throughout the province,” Director of the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, Dr. Kris Ringwall (PhD) said. “We also appreciate that this is part of growing our relationships as we are all partners in this endeavor.”
For more information, including a full list of funded projects, please visit www.saskatchewan.ca and search “Agriculture Development Fund.”
