Calgary, Alberta, Canada
May 12, 2014
The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) has announced that they plan to invest $1.5 million into ten agronomic and breeding/genetic research projects as part of the Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC), a group of 14 funding organizations that have partnered together to collaborate on agriculture research funding.
“Research is a top priority for the Alberta Wheat Commission,” says Kent Erickson, Chair of the Board of Directors. “We allocate 40% of our check-off dollars into research with the goal of investing in projects that are targeted at genetic and agronomic improvements that will advance the wheat industry.
AWC’s investment of $1.5 million will fund ten research projects – five in the area of breeding/genetics, four in the area of agronomic management and one that covers both agronomy and genetics. To leverage research dollars, AWC partnered with several of AFC members on these projects, including the Western Grains Research Foundation, Alberta Innovates BioSolutions, Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund, Alberta Pulse Growers Commission, Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Potato Growers of Alberta and the Alfalfa Seed Commission. The total investment for all ten projects is $9 million and includes funding targeted at national, provincial and university institutions.
“By partnering with a number of different agriculture groups to fund these projects, it allows us maximize grower check-off dollars and get a better return on our research investment,” adds Erickson. “Research funding partnerships are important for our industry to leverage grower dollars, but also to encourage collaboration among all sectors of the agriculture industry.”
AWC has a Research Committee made up of Directors, Regional Representatives and staff who make recommendations to the AWC Board about project funding. The Committee ensures growers best interests are represented in research funding decisions, and that AWC funds projects across all classes. All projects submitted to the AFC are subject to independent, expert review.
AWC will continue to look at research proposals and fund projects that will develop Alberta’s wheat industry. Contracts for these ten projects that AWC has recently committed funding to are currently being signed, and more information will be available about the research being done once the contracts are completed. Watch for updates and information on the AWC website at www.albertawheat.com.
Topics
Species
