By rdnewsNOW staff

$12.1 million announced for agriculture genomics projects in Alberta

Jun 15, 2022 | 3:07 PM

A total of $12.1 million is being provided to 14 agriculture genomics projects in Alberta.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at the Alberta Beef Industry Conference, which is being held at Red Deer’s Cambridge Hotel from June 14–15.

According to Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), genomics involve the study of the entire genetic information of living things encoded in their DNA and related molecules like proteins. Its aim is to help producers reduce the environmental footprint of farming, improve the quality of food, and enhance productivity and sustainability.

Some innovation examples in genomics, they say, include developing new crop varieties, preventing livestock and plant diseases, and improving the genetic selection of livestock and crops for traits such as drought tolerance, feed efficiency, and methane emission.

“Genomics research has practical real-world application that is contributing to building a more sustainable agriculture sector in Canada,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “From developing new tools, improving the quality of food we eat, to breeding more resilient crops. Our genomic researchers are the heart of advancing science and innovation so that our farmers in Alberta have the tools they need to be successful,”

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At the conference, RDAR and Genome Alberta, with the Government of Canada and Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development, announced their contribution of $5.1 million towards the projects through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP).

The conference included guest speakers Nate Horner, Alberta Minister of Agriculture and Rural Economic Development; Clinton Dobson, RDAR Research director; and Dr. David Bailey, president and CEO of Genome Alberta, among others.

“This investment is a prime example of what an exciting time it is to be in agriculture. These projects touch every corner of Alberta’s ag industry, from dairy and pork to soil and canola, and much more,” said Horner. “The work in the labs will show results in the field, and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact it will have across the province.”

The fourteen funded projects include nine which are related to either livestock, bees, beef, dairy and pork, while four are crop-related, for wheat, canola and potatoes, and one is a soil health project.

The projects and their descriptions are listed in the following image:

Officials say all of the projects have an extension component to transfer research outputs from researchers to producers and consumers.

“RDAR and Genome Alberta have partnered to deliver funding to springboard genomic advancements that will change our industry for the better,” said Dr. David Chalack of the RDAR board chair. “The Alberta agriculture and agri-food sector are well-positioned to use genomics to improve food quality, safety and security, and boost crop and livestock production. Genomic advancements will help Alberta create high-value products, gain a more diverse global market share, and increase the agriculture exports of our hard-working producers.”

RDAR is a not-for-profit corporation whose mandate is to target strategic investments in producer-led, results-driven agriculture research to power the competitiveness, profitability, productivity and sustainability of agriculture in Alberta.

Genome Alberta is a publicly funded not-for-profit corporation investing primarily in large-scale genome sciences research projects and technology platforms focused on areas of strategic importance to the province such as forestry, plant and animal agriculture, and more.

The Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3-billion commitment by Canada’s federal, provincial, and territorial governments that supports Canada’s agriculture, agri-food and agri-products sectors. This includes a $2 billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.

(rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)