Research into pests, mapping soil carbon sequestration, and genetic resistance to pests get funding

Jan 20, 2025
By Jean-Paul McDonald
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Feds and Saskatchewan invest in ag

Saskatchewan and the federal government, have announced an investment of $9.4 million for crop-related research, with an additional $5.4 million co-funded by industry partners.

This brings the total funding to $14.8 million for 2025. The investment, which is part of Saskatchewan's 2024-25 agriculture budget of $37 million, will support 53 approved research projects aimed at advancing the agriculture sector.

By investing in research, we're investing in the future of the country's agriculture industry," said Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence MacAulay. "This funding will provide research organizations the dollars they need to investigate solutions to production issues and to develop new opportunities for our crops sector, which in turn helps farmers compete globally and boost their bottom lines."

"Investments in research are foundational to the sector," said Saskatchewan’s Minister of Agriculture, Daryl Harrison. "Over the last five years, we have invested almost $50 million into crop-related research through the ADF. That's the kind of support that helps our producers stay competitive and profitable in international markets and helps Saskatchewan to keep setting the bar higher for sustainable practices and innovation in agriculture."

The funding is part of the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP)."

The 2025 ADF projects cover a broad range of topics, including mapping soil carbon sequestration in cropland, investigating genetic mechanisms for resistance to pests like the wheat stem sawfly, and studying the health benefits of pea-based beverages in preventing osteoporosis.

Industry partners such as Alberta Grains, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and the Western Grains Research Foundation have contributed an additional $5.4 million to support the research. Their collaboration is key to aligning projects with industry needs.

For more details on the funded projects, please visit the official website.

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