20 new ag research projects in the works

Apr 24, 2017

The Canadian government plans to grow innovation in the ag industry

Lawrence MacAulay, Canada’s minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced the federal government will fund 20 new farming sector research projects across the country, according to an April 21 government release.

Researchers associated with the new projects will study and test new agricultural practices to assist farmers in adapting their operations to climate change obstacles, and improving soil and water quality on-farm.

“Canadian farmers are great stewards of the land and the environment,” MacAulay said in the release. “These new investments are part of the government's commitment to address climate change and ensuring our farming sector are world leaders in the use and development of clean and sustainable technology and processes.”

farm

Funding for the projects comes from the $27 million, five-year long Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Program (AGGP). The program prioritizes research in cropping systems, livestock operations, water usage in agriculture and agro-forestry.

MacAulay made the announcement Apr. 21 – one day before Earth Day – at the University of Alberta (UA), one of the institutions receiving research funding. UA researchers will use $3.7 million for three projects regarding the environmental impacts of cereal crop production, different cattle grazing systems, and shelterbelts.

Further east, scientists from the Dalhousie University (Dal) in Nova Scotia received $1.7 million to support research surrounding soil’s health, its carbon storing capacity and its supply of nitrogen, according to a Dal release.

These 20 new research projects will contribute to building the Canada’s reputation as a global food leader, as mentioned in the minister of finance’s economic report, according to David Gray, dean of the faculty of agriculture and principal of the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus.

“In (the economic) report, the Federal government aspires to global leadership in agri-food such that Canada will become the trusted global leader in safe, nutritious and sustainable food for the 21st century,” he said in the Dal release. “The Faculty of Agriculture is proud to work with our government toward this vision through our leading-edge teaching and research.”

Canada’s farmers have lately been the subject of positive government attention; from the 2017 Federal Budget to the minister of finance’s Path to Prosperity Report released earlier this year, the government is recognizing agriculture as a crucial component to Canada’s economy.

Video: Is China Buying US Soybeans + USDA Nov 14th Crop Report could be “Game Changing”

After a week of a U.S./China trade truce, markets/trade is skeptical that we have not seen a signed agreement nor heard much from China or seen any details. There are rumors that China is buying soybean futures & not the physical. Trust in Trump?
12 MMT of U.S. soybean purchases by China by year-end is better than 0 but we all need to give it more time and give it a chance to unfold. China did lower the tariffs on Ag and is buying U.S. wheat and sorghum.
U.S. supreme court could rule against Trumps tariffs, but the Trump administration does have a plan B.
U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in history at 38 days.
But despite a U.S. government shutdown we will be getting a USDA November crop report next Friday and it could be “game changing.” If the USDA provides a bullish surprise with lower U.S. corn and soybean yields and ending stocks that are lower than expected both corn and soybean futures will break out above their ceilings at $4.35/bu and $11.35/bu respectively.
The funds continued their selling in live and feeder cattle futures on continued fears that the Trump administration want to lower U.S. beef prices. The fundamentals have not changed, only market psychology has.
Stocks markets continue to worry about a weak U.S. job market, but you can blame ChatGPT for that. In the future, we will have a more efficient, productive and growing economy with a higher unemployment rate until we have more skilled AI workers.
After 34 new record highs in the S & P 500 and 124 new records in the NASDAQ in 2025 we are back to a correction and investor profit taking as AI valuations may have gotten too stretched near-term ahead of NVDA’s 3rd quarter earnings announcement on Nov. 19th. But this is not an AI bubble.
75% of Tesla shareholders approved a $1 trillion pay package for Elon Musk!
It has rained in South America in the last 7 days, but both the American and European models agree that Central Brazil remains dry in the next 14-days!

Ag industry leaders across Canada reflect on attention given to sector

Canadian governments defend supply management