Crop rotation research receives funding
The Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance will receive up to $5,733,852 in funding through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program-Clusters Component to promote more diverse crop rotations on farms.
The Cropping Systems Cluster, led by the alliance, will develop characteristics and practices to encourage diverse crop rotations for soybeans, corn and oats.
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The research aims to reduce business risk for farmers by developing crops that are resilient to climate change and weather stresses, protect against losses caused by diseases and insects and are profitable for producers overall.
This will be achieved by developing oat varieties with improved traits for Eastern and Western Canada, as well as improving soybean varieties for short-season production environments in Canada.
Research activities will also explore how diverse crop rotations can play a central role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and how better genetics, land management and fertilizer use can improve nitrogen use efficiency to protect the environment.
Agco supports Do More Ag
The Agco Agriculture Foundation has committed to contributing $150,000 over three years to the Do More Agriculture Foundation.
The goal is connect farmers in Canada and the United States to mental health resources and increase awareness of their capabilities and benefits.
The foundation is now the presenting sponsor for the #TalkItOut video series, which aims to foster discussions on mental health issues relevant to the agricultural community. The partnership will also lead to the creation of co-branded mental health support stickers equipped with QR codes to link farmers to instant local mental health resources.
Additionally, the partnership will support mental health workshops and training. The workshops focus on raising awareness about mental health, addressing challenges and providing farmers with tools to manage stress and increase overall mental well-being.
Southwest Sandhills conservation funded
The Nature Conservancy of Canada will receive funding from SaskEnergy to support conservation and stewardship in Saskatchewan’s Southwest Sandhills.
The crown corporation has pledged $25,000 annually for three years to fund stewardship, conservation planning and partnerships aimed at sustaining the unique species and habitats found in the area.
This builds upon SaskEnergy’s previous $50,000, two-year commitment toward NCC’s conservation efforts in the Southwest Sandhills and brings total support to $125,000 over five years.
The Southwest Sandhills area, located in southwestern Saskatchewan and extending to the Alberta border, boasts large tracts of intact native grasslands, sand dunes and sandy prairie, including the Great Sand Hills, alongside a significant section of the South Saskatchewan River. The area is renowned for its bird-watching opportunities and nature photography, attracting enthusiasts from far and wide.
The area is rich in historical, cultural and spiritual significance to First Nations and harbours more than 200 heritage resource sites of archaeological and cultural importance, as well as medicinal plants significant to Indigenous peoples.
Support from SaskEnergy will facilitate several conservation projects, including the implementation of a 10-year Southwest Sandhills Natural Area Conservation Plan. Crafted with input from Indigenous advisers, land users, agencies and stakeholders, the plan outlines biodiversity priorities, threats, partnerships and restoration projects.
SaskEnergy and NCC will also host a Conservation Volunteers event to help restore and care for the area and the species it sustains, including 38 species at risk such as Ord’s kangaroo rat and Gibson’s big sand tiger beetle.
A working group, including NCC, Nature Saskatchewan and Birds Canada, has been established to co-ordinate conservation efforts within the area.
NCC is also engaging with two community pasture patron groups in the area to support grazing management plans that balance economic needs with environmental sustainability.
B.C. program to boost traceability
Funding from British Columbia’s Traceability Adoption Program will help producers, food processors and seafood businesses improve product tracing, meet consumer demands for greater transparency and protect public health.
Producers and processors will be able to use the funding to improve how they track product movement and make it easier for them to expand their sales opportunities.
Through the program, they can purchase and install software and hardware, such as databases, bar code readers, label printers and other devices that help make product tracing more efficient and reliable.
They can also hire experts who can support their businesses to effectively implement traceability systems in their facilities.
For example, support is available for B.C. producers and food processors to purchase equipment to move from manual labelling to computer-generated printed labelling. This upgrade can help improve efficiency during the packaging process, reduce labour time on labelling and increase the confidence of quality control and recall procedures.
Ranchers and abattoirs can purchase and install approved radio frequency identification tag readers that track movement of animals and other food products wherever they may be in the supply chain to help reduce administrative burden and streamline livestock operations.
The funding is made available through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
