Today, Agriculture Minister David Marit joined with representatives of the federal government, the University of Saskatchewan and the agriculture industry to celebrate the grand opening of the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, a world class research and teaching facility funded in part by the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 agreement.
“Our government recognizes that it is vitally important to invest in the agriculture and food industry, which is a driver of jobs and economic growth for Canadians,” Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay said. “This Centre of Excellence will allow for important research to be done, giving our producers access to the latest information, technologies and tools they need to help ensure the profitability and sustainability of the livestock and forages industries in Saskatchewan and across Canada.”
“Many dedicated partners collaborated on the vision for this integrated Centre of Excellence that will support the continued success of the livestock and forage industries,” Marit said. “This centre’s teaching capabilities and research into forage breeding, cattle health, management practices and more will contribute tremendously to the long-term growth, profitability and sustainability of cattle production.”
The $38 million Centre of Excellence includes the Beef Cattle Research Teaching Unit and the Forage Cow-Calf Research Teaching Unit, both located south of Clavet, as well as the existing Goodale Research Farm at Floral. The centre brings together every link in the beef cattle production chain in an environment that supports research and teaching as well as interactive demonstrations that will help bring new technologies to producers, benefitting the industry in Saskatchewan and beyond.
“This unique centre will research and model all aspects of raising livestock on the prairies, helping to meet the needs of producers and consumers in Canada, while also helping to sustainably produce food for a growing world population,” University of Saskatchewan President Peter Stoicheff said. “It will break down barriers between academics and livestock and forage producers and bring scientists from across disciplines together to promote an integrated approach to solving industry issues.”
Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association contributed $1 million toward construction of the Centre of Excellence.
“The Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association sees the centre as an investment in the future of ranching and the dividends will be the research to improve the profitability and sustainability of the beef sector here in Saskatchewan and across the country,” Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association (SCA) Chair Rick Toney said. “The SCA is proud to support this kind of investment in the future of the cattle industry.”
The $10 million federal-provincial investment into the centre was made under Growing Forward 2, which was replaced in April 2018 by the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $388 million investment by federal and provincial governments in strategic initiatives for Saskatchewan agriculture.
Source : Government of Saskatchewan