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Ontario Invests in Research to Support Farmers

The Ontario government is investing more than $343 million over five years to support agri-food research and innovation. 

Announced Wednesday, the funding will be used for research focusing on food safety and animal welfare and support the development of a highly skilled workforce that will lead to more economic growth opportunities for the agri-food sector, a provincial release said. The investment is being made through a new agreement with the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance - a collaboration between the province, the University of Guelph and the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario.  

The renewal of the Alliance for an additional five years builds on the success of the government’s previous agreement, which it said increased Ontario’s GDP by $1.4 billion and supported more than 1,300 jobs. 

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

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?