New agricultural framework boosts emphasis on R&D and commercialization

Growing Forward 2

R&D is front and centre with the renewal of a major agricultural policy framework that's allocating $698 million over five years towards its AgriInnovation Program (AIP) — one of three thrusts designed to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of the sector. Growing Forward 2 will feature industry- and farmer-led R&D projects ($468 million) augmented by $240 million in R&D and knowledge transfer activities led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

The Growing Forward 2 framework represents a $3-billion investment that includes $1.15 billion in federal-only programs and approximately $2 billion in strategic initiatives cost-shared by the federal government (60%) and the provinces (40%).

"The framework's priorities are economic growth and long-term competitiveness and innovation and market development are the main drivers," says Andrew Goldstein, DG of AAFC's policy, planning and integration directorate. "With Growing Forward 2, there's a greater emphasis on innovation and the programming demonstrates it … We're in the final stages of getting the federal programming in order and finalizing collaboration with the provinces. It's all on track to be up and running by April 1st."

Growing Forward 2 budget is comprised of about $2.4 billion in federal financing and $600 million from provincial/territorial funding. The cost-shared portion this time around is 50% more than under Growing Forward 1, which received a total of $2.4 billion and expires March 31/13.

The AIP under Growing Forward 2 will make strategic investments in a broader range of initiatives and activities in support of the framework's innovation pillar. The new framework also provides greater flexibility for provinces to tailor programs to local needs and increased opportunity for provinces to invest in environmental goods and services and water infrastructure.

"It's not just an extension, there are quite a few differences. We looked at what worked and what didn't," says Goldstein. "Innovation is the key priority so we took money from our business risk management support and put it into innovation. The reaction to the framework's innovation, business and market development elements has been very positive while the changes to business risk management were not as positively received."

Under the demand-driven AIP, applicants from the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sectors can apply for non-repayable funding under the Agri-Science Cluster and Agri-Science project programs. The former projects are national in scope and aimed at mobilizing and coordinating a critical mass of scientific expertise in industry, academia and government, while the latter is a smaller project more focused in scope than the cluster projects.

Applicants can also seek repayable funding through the Commercialization Program. Its objective is to reduce the financial risk associated with late-stage activities to demonstrate, commercialize or adopt innovative agri-based products, technologies, processes or services.

All AIP applications will be assessed against program criteria. Industry applicants can apply for contribution funding and/or establish a collaborative relationship with AAFC in R&D or knowledge transfer.

Growing Forward 2 comes amidst concerns over decreasing public support for agriculture R&D, with some noting that agriculture isn't even among the federal government's S&T priorities.

Under the government's deficit reduction action plan, AAFC's budget is slated to drop 10% over the next three years and it's estimated that the department has lost 50% of its researchers over the past 20 years (R$, November 21/12). Statistics Canada reports that AAFC's S&T expenditures were projected to fall from $426 million in FY11-12 to $326 million in FY12-13.

"It's hard to say how much Growing Forward 2 will increase overall R&D at the department as it's not the only R&D we do here," says Goldstein. "We still don't know how much or what programming the provinces will do through the R&D and commercialization elements of the framework."

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