Feds, industry invest $67.7M  to support field crop science

The federal government is investing up to $39.3 million in Canada’s field crop sector to support research, applied science and innovation. Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, announced the funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $3-billion initiative by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the agriculture and agri-food sector. Industry is contributing an additional $28.4 million, for a total $67.7 million investment. The funding to four field crop science clusters will support mulitple objectives, like improving crop productivity and diversity, expanding the geographic range for growing crops, and benefitting the environment. The clusters will be led by the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition; Ag-West Bio Inc; the Barley Council of Canada; and the Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance. Canada’s field crop sector drives $25 billion in farm gate receipts, with $21 billion in exports.