Crop research in Saskatchewan will see a sizeable funding boost from the federal and provincial governments for 44 crop-related research projects through Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) and the Strategic Research Initiative (SRI).
Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit announced the more than $12 million in funding this week at CropSphere in Saskatoon.
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership funds the ADF and SRI programs through a five-year, $388 million investment in strategic initiatives for Saskatchewan agriculture by the federal and provincial governments.
ADF support is awarded to researchers working in areas of importance to Saskatchewan producers. Topics include developing a weed control system for herbicide resistant wild oat in wheat, enhancing the extraction of vitamins from canola crush co-product, establishing resistance to fusarium head blight in wheat, improving protein and seed quality in peas, and determining the ideal seeding date for quinoa.
The SRI is a new program designed to provide funding to advance “strategic priorities” that would go beyond the normal scope and scale of the ADF mandate.
The Western Grains Research Foundation, the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, the Prairie Oat Growers Association, the Alberta Wheat Commission, and the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association are providing an additional $3.6 million in funding for the ADF initiatives.
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