Government of Canada invests in innovative projects to boost productivity and sustainability in Canadian agriculture

OTTAWA, ON, May 20, 2022 /CNW/ - Canadian farmers rely on innovation to grow their business, feed a growing population and protect the environment. As we celebrate Canadian Innovation Week, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of over $635K in four innovative projects to boost productivity and green infrastructure in the agriculture sector.

Scientific breakthroughs in agriculture have led to new farming technologies and practices, provided farmers with better crop varieties, and helped protect crops and livestock from pests and diseases. With funds under the AgriScience Program, science and innovation will play a key role in helping farmers address emerging challenges.

Funding for the four recipients will be used to support the sector's adoption of technologies and practices to grow more crops and integrate sustainable farming practices.

The recipient organizations include:

• Canadian Nursery Landscape Association in Milton, Ontario will receive up to $32,185 to develop a screening system suitable for breeding black knot fungus. It's expected to develop a reliable technique to introduce and evaluate black knot infection on chokecherries. The project will help companies meet the increasing demand at garden centers and support sustainable practices within their operations.
• Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault in Deschambault, Quebec will receive up to $104,018 to improve productivity and animal health in the poultry sector by increasing bird survival rate and decreasing production costs for producers.
• Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan will receive up to $63,248 to help overcome flax residue, a large production challenge for flax growers. The project aims to understand the genetic control of both flax height and flax fiber percentage in order to develop improved flax populations for future variety development.
• CanDry Technologies Inc. in Vancouver, British Columbia will receive up to $436,896 to develop state-of-art dehydration technology for valuable and heat-sensitive agri-products to prevent nutrition loss, shorten the drying cycle, minimize energy consumption, and enhance productivity.

Investments that support agri-food innovation and science provide farmers the tools to remain competitive and sustainable, while ensuring Canada continues to be a global leader in agriculture. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovations in efficient machinery, sustainable practices and cost-effective solutions that contribute to economic growth and the long-term prosperity of agriculture in Canada.

"Canada is positioned as a world leader in sustainable agriculture through tools such as our innovative technologies and scientific approach. Programs such as AgriScience allow our agricultural producers to benefit from the advantages of innovation for both productivity and environmental protection. As we celebrate the success of advancements made in agriculture, we will continue our work to build an increasingly resilient sector.
     -     The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

"The susceptibility of 'Schubert' chokecherry to black knot is the main reason that sales of this popular, colourful and winter hardy small tree have declined so dramatically for Canadian nursery growers.  With AAFC's AgriScience Projects support, and the ornamental breeding expertise at the University of Saskatchewan, CNLA, is excited to take the first steps in the long journey to developing a black knot resistant chokecherry."
     -     Jordan Voogd, Sunstar Nurseries Ltd, Edmonton AB & Chairperson of the CNLA Black knot resistance breeding subcommittee 

"CanDry proposes a novel and patented dehydration technology, controlled by a complex algorithm. The AgriScience Program funding will support the development of a state-of-art dehydration technology for valuable and heat-sensitive Agri-products to prevent nutrition loss, minimize energy consumption, and reduce the physical footprint compared with the market's existing drying technologies. This technology will provide a safer dehydrator and makes advanced dehydration more affordable for Agri-products processors."
     -     Dr. Hamid Rezaei, R&D Director CanDry Technologies Inc.

"The competitiveness, profitability and sustainability of poultry businesses have always been closely linked to research, development and innovation. Funding for the research project on dietary lipids, the health of laying hens and the composition of eggs will allow the industry to stand out as well as improve animal welfare. AAFC's financial support will therefore result in significant benefits for Canadian egg producers."
     -     Yan Martel Kennes, M.Sc., agr., Scientific Director and PhD student in Animal Science, Deschambault Animal Science Research Centre (DASRC)

"The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission has been told by flax growers that managing flax straw is one of their biggest concerns. This research, in partnership with J4 Agri-Science, has the potential to lead to new flax varieties that will remove a barrier for farmers when growing flax."
     -     Greg Sundquist, chair, Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission

• The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a $3 billion, five-year (2018-2023) investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen and grow Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector.
• The AgriScience Program, an initiative under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, aims to accelerate the pace of innovation by providing funding and support for pre-commercial science activities and cutting-edge research that benefits the agriculture and agri-food sector and Canadians.
• Powered by The Rideau Hall Foundation, Canadian Innovation Week is a five-day celebration recognizing and supporting ingenuity across all sectors. Organizations across the country share stories of inspiring Canadian innovators and innovations that are changing the world one idea at a time.
• The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) is a national not-for-profit federation of nine provincial landscape and horticulture associations representing over 4,200 members. Comprised of thousands of locally owned companies that grow, sell, design, install, and maintain plants and other landscape features, its members represent over $2.2 billion at farm gate and over $14 billion in economic impact in Canada.
• CanDry Technologies Inc. is working on the development of environmentally friendly dehydrating machines to remove moisture from different materials such as fruits and vegetables, but also pharmaceutical products and lumber.
• The CRSAD manages significant resources to promote the development of animal science research, in a context of consultation and partnership. This non-profit corporation plays a major role in animal production.
• The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission works to develop the flax industry for the benefit of flax growers. The activities of the Commission include funding research, development and promotion of flax to domestic and international markets, and work with other organizations to benefit flax producers and the flax industry.

AgriScience Projects
Canadian Agricultural Partnership
Canadian Innovation Week
Canadian Nursery Landscape Association
CanDry Technologies Inc.
Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault
Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada