By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Friday September 9, 2023

Sep 8, 2023 | 10:37 AM

Genome Canada and the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are collaborating on agriculture related research projects.

Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems initiative is providing $12 million to explore climate-forward research projects in the field of sustainable agriculture.

USask associate professor Dr. Jon Bennett will examine the benefits of species and genetic diversity in Canadian grasslands.

“The idea is that native plants are a much more diverse group of plants than we currently use in forage systems for livestock, and they’ve got a lot of features that aren’t replicated in seeded pasture right now,” Bennett said. “So, if we can find some populations or species that we can use to increase the ecological goods and services provided by these agroecosystems, that is the main thrust of the project.”

Part of the research will also explore carbon sequestration in soils. The research team will measure levels of carbon in pastures and in grasslands housing native plant species.

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Other agencies supporting this project include Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ducks Unlimited, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds, the Meewasin Valley Authority, the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), and the Canadian Hub for Applied Research (CHASR).

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Nominations are being accepted for a prestigious award honouring contributions to agricultural management practices.

Farm Management Canada created the Wilson Loree Award over twenty years ago to recognize individuals or groups that demonstrated innovation in areas such as turning research into practical management tools, adapting best practices from other sectors to agriculture, and finding new ways to deliver training, information, and resources to farm managers.

Nominees have also served as a role model and a mentor to colleagues, partners, and clients, and have demonstrated the ability to network and develop partnerships to include others in furthering the shared goals and vision of the agriculture industry.

The nominator must be a member of Farm Management Canada. Nominations must be submitted by Oct. 6.

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The Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) has a new executive director.

Dr. Corinne Schuster-Wallace began a five-year term on Sept. 1.

Schuster-Wallace joined the Department of Geography and Planning in USask’s College of Arts and Science in 2018 as an associate professor leading research in the areas of local water security and health, and sustainable development.

She was also the associate director of the pan-Canadian Global Water Futures (GWF) program since 2019, a research initiative led by USask alongside Wilfrid Laurier, McMaster, and Waterloo universities.

Schuster-Wallace has set new goals for leading water research at USask and across the country.

“Water has always been my passion and it has taken me to many interesting places where I have met so many other like-minded people,” Schuster-Wallace said. “I have also had the opportunity to take on leadership roles in other places. We have an opportunity as an institute to re-imagine ourselves, to commit to equity, diversity and inclusion in our relationships and our research, and to serve our local communities, sectors, and governments in ways that can also support the global community.”

Schuster-Wallace has held several past positions, including senior research fellow, Water and Human Development, at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), research associate in the School of Engineering at the University of Guelph, and a water-environment specialist for the Public Health Agency of Canada.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW