Will help improve quality of new foods
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
In an effort to improve the health, quality and safety of new foods and the dairy industry, the government of Ontario is investing in a new research and innovation centre to replace the Elora Research Station which was built in 1969.
The $25 million Livestock Research and Innovation Dairy Facility in Elora will be a destination where industry stakeholders, as well as staff and students from Canadian universities can use as a tool to work together on various dairy-related initiatives.
The facility will be used to:
- Enhance livestock health with advanced technology
- Improve milk and quality using nutrition and genetics research
- Support best practices in livestock management, operational efficiency and innovation
Ontario invested $20 million into the new facility. It is a joint venture between the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, the University of Guelph and Ontario’s dairy industry – represented by Dairy Farmers of Ontario.
“The new Livestock Research and Innovation Centre is an excellent example of how industry, government and academia can work together to ensure Ontario’s livestock sector remains innovative, competitive and a leader in the agri-food sector,” said Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal. “Ontario’s dairy farmers and stakeholders, with the support of the Ontario government, are committed to leading research in animal husbandry, environmental sustainability and best management practices to ensure the highest quality dairy products for Ontarians.”
Ontario’s dairy industry is made up of 4,000 dairy farms who produce 2.5 billion litres of milk every year. To put that in perspective, it’s enough to fill the Rogers Centre twice from home plate to the roof!