More than $1 million will be divided among different projects
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Eight research projects in Manitoba’s agriculture industry will split an investment of more than $1.6 million from the federal and provincial governments.
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler announced the funding, provided through the Grain Innovation Hub, during the CropConnect conference in Winnipeg.
The Grain Innovation Hub is a collective effort between Ottawa and Manitoba to solidify Manitoba’s place as leader in grain production, processing and research.
“Manitoba’s crop producers and the entire grain industry stand to benefit from the results of these important, timely and targeted research initiatives,” Eichler said in a release. “By partnering with producers and industry, we are creating opportunities for long-term growth and sustainability in Manitoba.”
The Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) will receive almost $600,000 in funding. The association’s research will focus on:
- reducing the contamination caused by fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat,
- developing a commercial malting barley variety with improved pre-harvest sprouting tolerance,
- developing better nitrogen fertilizer management strategies for high-yielding spring wheat, and identifying the most efficient, and
- environmentally-friendly strategies to reduce the damage caused by FHB in spring wheat.
“Cereal crops remain the underpinning for economically sustainable crop production in Manitoba,” Fred Grieg, MWBGA chair, said in the release. “We appreciate this support to fund research that defends and drives increased profitability for wheat and barley.”
Other projects scheduled to receive funding include $300,000 to SeCan for developing a semi-dwarf wheat variety for the eastern prairies with higher yields, improved resistance and strong straw.