WESTERN PRODUCER — Agricultural researchers will receive more than $9.1 million in government funding this year through Saskatchewan's Agriculture Development Fund.
David Marit, the province's agriculture minister, made the announcement Jan. 11 during Saskatchewan's Crop Production Week events in Saskatoon.
The funding, which includes commitments from the federal and Saskatchewan governments, will support 55 crop-related agricultural research projects aimed at expanding the province's agriculture sector.
The $9.1 million of taxpayer support will be combined with an additional $4.1 million that was committed by industry partners, co-funders and producer commissions, bringing total research funding through government and non-government sources to $13.2 million.
Investments from co-funders, including producer support, included more than $1.5 million from the Western Grain Research Foundation (WGRF), $1.3 million from the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, $492,000 from Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, $203,000 from the Manitoba Crop Alliance, $202,000 from the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, $155,000 from Alberta Wheat, $135,000 from the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission, $100,000 from Results Driven Agricultural Research, $13,000 from the Prairie Oat Growers Association and $5,000 from Mustard 21.
Marit said investments in crop-related agricultural research are an important element in Saskatchewan's economic growth strategy.
That strategy includes increasing the province's agricultural production to 45 million tonnes annually, increasing the value of annual ag exports to $20 billion and increasing revenues from the province's value-added agri-food sector to $10 billion a year by 2030.
"Saskatchewan's ag sector is well equipped to accommodate this kind of growth," Marit said.
Academic research is fundamental to achieving the sector's goals, he added.
"Research is what drives Saskatchewan's agriculture industry. Research is what generates the knowledge and ideas that help us work better, smarter and more sustainably," he said.
"It's what keep us competitive and generates the kind of economic growth activity that will carry us through the next decade and beyond."
WGRF chair Keith Degenhardt said ongoing financial commitments by producer groups and all industry partners are important to ensuring the success of the ag industry.
"It is evident from the substantial investment by WGRF, and all industry partners, that producers are committed to investing in agricultural research," Degenhardt said.
"We know the knowledge and tools (that) research provides are vital for our continued success. The ADF continues to provide a great forum for producer groups to collaborate and co-fund agricultural research that improves production and sustainability for western Canadian producers."
The ADF is supported by Ottawa and Saskatchewan's provincial government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
CAP is a five-year, $3 billion cost-sharing agreement between federal, provincial and territorial governments, aimed at expanding Canada's agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors.
Support for ADF projects is awarded annually, on a competitive basis, to researchers who conduct projects in areas that are important to Saskatchewan's farmers, ranchers and industry partners.
Examples of projects that received ADF funding in 2022 include:
- Research into the effects of intercropping on disease levels in various pulse crops.
- Projects that look for innovative ways to mitigate root rot in peas.
- Work aimed at removing undesirable characteristics of protein ingredients from canola, hemp and flaxseed.
Of the 55 crop-related projects awarded ADF funding this year, 33 will be conducted by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon and 13 will be conducted by researchers at Agriculture Canada.
Total government funding awarded to U of S projects through the ADF amounts to nearly $5.5 million.
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