Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has reached an agreement to transfer key research programs to the University of Alberta (U of A), expanding its agriculture research capacity.
The $3.7 million grant will assist in the transition of critical agriculture research programs and researchers.
Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, says that the U of A has a strong agriculture program, and that adding these great researchers to their programming will benefit Alberta’s farmers and ranchers for years to come.
“Research is critical to agriculture’s success, and by leveraging and increasing capacity it will result in huge benefits for Alberta’s agriculture sector,” says Dreeshen.
The researchers and programs that will now reside with the U of A include:
- John Basarab, beef genomics and feed efficiency;
- Dr. Marcos Colazo, reproductive management in beef and dairy cattle;
- Valerie Carney, Poultry Innovation project lead; and,
- Sheri Strydhorst, cereal agronomy.
The new research agreement is part of the Alberta government’s Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) program. Over the long term, RDAR will assume ongoing responsibility for the funding agreement with the U of A.
Dr. Stanford Blade, dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Life, and Environmental Sciences at U of A, says the faculty is very excited to be joined by these new colleagues.
“These individuals are excellent researchers who have an impressive track record of working with producers and the entire agricultural sector,” Blade says. “We are looking forward to enhanced capacity and new opportunities for collaboration with our new faculty members.”
