A new agreement between the federal government and canola industry groups will open the door for more large-scale research projects.
The $6 million agreement is intended to improve co-ordination of research and identify projects that meet the goals of the canola council and regional groups.
Grower groups will assign producer check-off funding to the agreement, which includes Agriculture Canada, the Canola Council of Canada, Alberta Canola Producers’ Commission (ACPC), the Manitoba Canola Growers’ Association (MCGA) and the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission (SCDC).
MCGA chair Barry Chappell said this commitment shows how government can work with farmers to meet producers’ needs.
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Clarence Assenheimer, who chairs the ACPC’s research committee, said the agreement will help provide long-term sustainability to the industry through research.
Growers credit improved agronomy and new genetics for canola’s success, which is exceeding industry production expectations this year because of enhanced yields.
According to the Canadian Grain Commission, Canada has exported 1.81 million tonnes of canola as of Nov. 2, which is well ahead of last year’s record-setting 1.42 million tonnes by the same date.
Last month’s Statistics Canada production estimate was 10.9 million tonnes, but industry speculation is that by Decembers’ report that might reach 12 million.
SCDC spokesperson Wayne Bacon said the agreement allows producers to leverage producer research investments and focus on producer designated research issues.
A management committee has been set up to co-ordinate the projects, ensuring that the agronomy research meets the needs of the grower groups.
“Our money not only goes further, but we also have a hand directing what type of projects are done,” Bacon said.
He said the industry is committed to science-based development and has a long-term goal of reaching 15 million tonnes of Canadian marketed production by 2015.
