By Alice McFarlane

Agriculture Roundup for Friday January 27, 2023

Jan 27, 2023 | 12:00 PM

MELFORT, Sask. – University of Saskatchewan (USask) has been awarded $5.2 million for research projects.

Early detection of infectious diseases in chickens and developing regional influenza vaccines for pigs are among 28 livestock and forage-related research.

In all, 25 USask researchers were awarded funding for projects that range from using artificial intelligence to monitor the well-being of pigs to developing vaccines to control diseases. These diseases range from foot rot in cattle to controlling microbial diseases in bees and maximizing the use of wheat straw in the diet of beef cattle.

Five of these projects, totaling $863,000, are at the USask-owned Prairie Swine Centre.

The money comes from Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), a program jointly funded by the provincial and federal governments.

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The announcement was made during the Beef Industry Symposium held in Saskatoon, Sask. this week.

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The new science strategy of the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) is responding to the changing needs of the grain sector.

CGC Chief Commissioner Doug Chorney said the strategy lays out a vision for research.

“Our Science Strategy integrates the science and research goals of CGC with the key issues and challenges currently facing the grain sector. By addressing these developments, we will ensure that science continues to support Canadian producers and our competitiveness in the world market,” Chorney said.

The strategy identifies five areas including advances in technology, evolving end uses, climate change, extreme weather, food safety, and nutrition. The strategy also outlines how the CGC will implement the goals.

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SVG Ventures|THRIVE has announced Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is the lead investor of its third fund.

The SVG Ventures Pioneer Fund (Pioneer Fund) is planning to distribute $75 million to global agrifood start-ups developing sustainable technologies.

FCC venture capital vice-president Rebbecca Clarke said being an investor in the Pioneer Fund is a natural extension of its involvement.

“Bringing SVG Thrive’s successful global accelerator and platform to Canada in 2020, the fund is an exciting and important next step in bringing needed capital to this growing acceleration ecosystem for start-up and early-stage entrepreneurs and companies in Canada’s agriculture and food industry,” Clarke said.

SVG Ventures recently launched THRIVE Academy, a pre-accelerator program funded by Alberta Innovates.

Graduates from these SVG Ventures|THRIVE administered programs provide investment opportunities to the Pioneer Fund as well as insights into participants’ founders, technologies, and business models.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW