Wheat variety research receives funding
A coalition of Prairie crop groups has pledged nearly $20 million in funding for wheat variety development over the next three years.
“We are helping tackle some of the biggest challenges on the farm, like disease, pests and tough weather, while keeping our focus on the quality standards our customers count on,” Dean Hubbard, chair of the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition, said in a news release.
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The coalition includes the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Alberta Grains and the Manitoba Crop Alliance.
It pledged $19.9 million over three years to a core breeding agreement with Agriculture Canada.
The agreement will support development of western Canadian wheat varieties with resistance to diseases such as fusarium and rusts, and to pests such as orange wheat blossom midge and wheat stem sawfly, the release said.
Agriculture Canada will also work on varieties that can withstand environmental stressors such as heat and drought.
The coalition also holds core breeding agreements with the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta.
FMD vaccine bank contracts awarded
The federal government has awarded contracts to vaccine makers in a step toward the creation of a long-awaited foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank.
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health and Biogénesis Bagó SA will supply vaccines and develop the bank, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.
Public Services and Procurement Canada awarded the contract on the CFIA’s behalf following a “competitive procurement process.”
The Liberal government promised a foot-and-mouth vaccine bank in its 2023 budget following years of advocacy from agricultural groups.
“The Canadian beef industry breathed a collective sigh of relief to learn a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank is on the horizon,” Alberta Beef Producers said in a report on its website after the announcement.
It’s expected an outbreak of the disease, which affects cloven-hooved animals like cattle, pigs, sheep and deer, would likely close borders to exports of Canadian meat and animals.
In a January webinar, Alberta Beef Producers extension lead Karen Schmid estimated an outbreak could cost the Canadian livestock sector around $65 billion.
