Olivia Grandy
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Crop researchers in Saskatchewan are set to receive a $9.7 million boost from a combination of federal and provincial funding.
Of the total, $7.2 million will go to 39 new research projects through the Agriculture Development Fund, and $2.5 million will go to an initiative to develop a long-term management plan for herbicide-resistant weeds kochia and wild oats.
The announcement was made Tuesday by federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit at the Saskatchewan Crops Forum.
“Investing in agricultural research is an investment in the future,” MacDonald said in a provincial release. “It helps address current and emerging challenges while creating new opportunities for farmers.”
The University of Saskatchewan received a chunk of more than $4.5 million, dedicated to 24 research projects within the school.
Agriculture Development Fund projects are selected through an annual competitive process. Some selected research topics at the U of S include curbing riceworm infestations in the province’s northern wild rice crops and enabling cross-breeding to boost Saskatoon berry production.
“This level of support is a testament to the strength and innovation of USask’s unique agricultural research ecosystem that supports Saskatchewan agrifood producers and enables us to continue to be what the world needs in this ever-important sector,” said Baljit Singh, the university’s vice-president research, in a news release.
The investment is supported by the five-year Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which will run until March 31, 2028. The partnership includes $1 billion in federal programs and a $2.5 billion commitment, cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially, to fund programs for the provinces and territories.
The announcement comes as Premier Scott Moe joined Prime Minister Mark Carney on his trip to Beijing this week, with expectations that talks could ease Chinese tariffs ranging from 76 to 100 per cent on Canadian canola, which have hit local producers.
“Canada and Saskatchewan need a strong relationship with China, and these meetings support the process of recalibrating how we work together,” Moe said in a release from Jan. 12.
