The federal and provincial governments are committing $5.5 million in funding for livestock research.
Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit made the announcement on Thursday.
The funding will be used in 34 livestock and forage-related research projects through Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) and the Strategic Field Program (SFP).
“Our government supports the growth of an innovative, competitive, and market-oriented Canadian agriculture sector,” MacAulay said.
“This funding will allow for vital advancements in agricultural research that will support new discoveries in our livestock and forage industries that will benefit farmers, producers and agribusinesses in Saskatchewan and all across the country.”
ADF and SFP are supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $388 million investment for Saskatchewan agriculture initiatives by the federal and provincial governments.
“By funding research here in Saskatchewan, we’re not only committing to the biosciences sector, we’re investing in the future of our producers and agribusinesses,” Marit said.
“ADF support is granted to projects that focus on areas of concern to Saskatchewan producers, and by supporting this research we’re investing in the future of our industry.”
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ADF funded projects have created new knowledge and technologies benefiting farmers and ranchers, food processors and agribusinesses including enhancing biosecurity, improving vaccines and breeding forage varieties beneficial for Saskatchewan soil.
Under SFP, funding is available for rigorous field level demonstrations and/or the evaluation of targeted practices and technologies – supporting extension delivery while advancing the objectives of the industry.
Its initial project will be confirming guidelines for beef cattle consumption of sulphate in drinking water conducted at the University of Saskatchewan’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence.
“This project is exactly the type of work the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence is designed to support – tackling the challenges of the agriculture sector,” said Kris Ringwall, University of Saskatchewan Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence director.
“The research will provide clear and meaningful results that are science-based. Livestock producers, by incorporating the new guidelines into their operations, will be expanding their management options and, in turn, increasing the livestock sector’s revenue.”
The ADF projects supported this year will examine a variety of areas of interest to producers that include developing enhanced biosecurity and animal welfare measures for livestock in transit.
Livestock and forage projects are also receiving more than $320,000 from the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association, the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, Alberta Beef Producers, the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, and the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission.
“These investments will benefit the beef sector, and a prosperous beef sector will help grow Saskatchewan’s economy,” said Rick Toney, Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association chair.
“We want to build upon the industry’s competitiveness by advancing beef and forage production methods through research and innovations.”
For more information visit www.saskatchewan.ca and search “Agriculture Development Fund.”
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