The University of Guelph in Ontario is expected to receive up to $713 million for agriculture research over the next 10 years through a renewal of its agreement with the province’s agriculture ministry.
The new agreement has been updated to manage digital data and is aimed to leverage more funds from other levels of government and the private sector, said Malcolm Campbell, vice-president of research at the university.
The agreement between the Ontario ministry of agriculture and the University of Guelph solidifies long-term funding, creating possibilities for more local research and the ability to attract higher quality scientists.
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The new deal was recently announced by university officials and Jeff Leal, Ontario’s minister of agriculture, at an event at the university’s agriculture laboratories.
“Ontario will be called on to meet the challenge of feeding the world. That’s why our partnerships are so important,” says Leal. “they will help Ontario to grow our capacity to grow safe, high quality food.”
Leal also mentioned the need to continue to educate people to work in a growing agriculture sector. A University of Guelph study says that there are four jobs in agriculture for each graduate.
The Ontario agriculture ministry and the University of Guelph have had a research partnership for decades. The previous partnership supported work in several key areas:
- Dr. Bonnie Mallard and her high immune response selection, which is now available for dairy cattle through Semex.
- A natural formula, hexanal, to prolong the shelf life of fresh produce.
- Smartphone apps that help to identify pests in crops.
- Gryphon’s LAAIR (Leading to the Accelerated Adoption of Innovative Research), in which researchers pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts and business managers. Winners receive funding to develop their research ideas.
