Western Grains Research Foundation Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Jan 20, 2021

The Western Grains Research Foundation has played a very important role in crop research.

Executive Director Garth Patterson says over the 40 years WGRF has invested over $200 million dollars into crop research in over 550 projects.

Patterson says the organization was started by 12 farm groups back in 1981 with a vision for a robust agricultural research funding organization that would be directed by and for farmers.

"WGRF is committed to the original intent of the founders of the organization, that we would be a western Canadian, multi-crop organization comprised of a diverse membership and working with the sole purpose of funding research to benefit western Canadian crop producers."

Dr. Keith Degenhardt, WGRF Chair, applauds the founding members for getting farmers involved from the outset.

"We are the ones who are on the land experiencing the different challenges, so we have a good feel for where the funding should go in research."

Degenhardt operates a mixed cattle and seed farm at Hughenden, Alberta.

He says it’s important for farmer funded research to be farmer directed because it gives you ownership and responsibility to make investments in research that help farmers."

More than 130 farmers from across Western Canada have served on the WGRF Board over the last 40 years.

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Video: U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan | Made by Producers for Producers

Join Jill Brokaw, a third-generation pig farmer and staff member of the National Pork Board, as she dives into the vital role of the US Swine Health Improvement Plan, also known as US SHIP. The program establishes a national playbook of standards for monitoring African swine fever and classical swine fever.

Why Should Pork Producers Care? If a disease breaks out, officials will establish a control area to help contain the disease. This plan is designed to mitigate risk and demonstrate freedom of disease at the site level. The goal is to support business continuity outside of the control area in case of an outbreak.

How Will the Pork Industry Use US SHIP? US SHIP uses already existing programs to support the standards for biosecurity, traceability and disease surveillance.

Biosecurity: This plan uses your completed Secure Pork Supply plan to demonstrate compliance with the biosecurity program standards and shows your ability to reduce the risk of disease introduction.

Traceability: AgView can be used to demonstrate compliance with the traceability standards and the ability to electronically provide State and Federal agencies the traceability information they need to determine where disease is and isn’t.

Disease Surveillance: The Certified Swine Sampler Collector Program helps expand the number of people certified to take samples. In the event of a large-scale foreign animal disease outbreak, we will need a trained group of sample collectors to help animal health officials find where the disease is present. This is to help you demonstrate freedom of disease and support the permitted movement of animals.

Getting Started with US SHIP:

1. Enroll in U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan

2. Share 30 days of movement data

3. Have a completed Secure Pork Supply Plan

4. Become U.S. SHIP certified

5. Maintain communication with your state

Takeaway: U.S. Swine Health Improvement Plan helps safeguard animal health. Together, we're creating a sustainable future for pork production in the United States and taking steps to strengthen the business of U.S. pork producers everywhere