Call for Research Letters of Intent Now Open

Jun 18, 2024

Guelph, ON. Grain Farmers of Ontario, the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers, has opened its annual Call for Research Letters of Intent (LOI).

Investment in research is a long-term strategic initiative of Grain Farmers of Ontario that targets opportunities that will enhance farmer-member profitability and sector competitiveness.

“Innovation in farming is fundamental for sustainable growth in the grain industry. Each year, Grain Farmers of Ontario identifies priority research areas through consultations with our farmer-members, academia, and industry partners,” says Paul Hoekstra, Vice President of Strategic Development, Grain Farmers of Ontario. “Within each priority area, Grain Farmers of Ontario allocates funds to projects, aims to maximize public sector research investment, and encourages private sector research investment.”

Researchers can review Grain Farmers of Ontario’s updated 2024 Research Priorities and submit an LOI addressing those priorities by Wednesday, July 10, 2024 (by 4:30 p.m.).

Source : GFO

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?