Money is making the research rounds in Saskatchewan, after $41 million was allocated in the agricultural science field.
Federal and provincial politicians spread around $28 million for research and infrastructure for agricultural product development.
The money had previously been set aside but not allocated.
Split 60-40 between the federal and provincial governments, the money comes from the agricultural policy framework.
Provincial agriculture minister Mark Wartman said the balance of the research-based government investments will be announced in the coming weeks.
The University of Saskatchewan’s Prairie Swine Centre research institute will use its $2.6 million in new funding to modernize its 27-year-old sow breeding barns.
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John Patience of the centre said he expects producers will want it to work on loose-sow housing to accommodate the demands of packers to move away from gestation stalls.
“The money will give us the ability to become more efficient producers ourselves, as well as taking our facilities to internationally competitive levels. We are an export dependent industry, so being internationally competitive is critical to the producers we serve,” Patience said.
A yet-to-be-built feed technology centre at the university and the Crop Development Centre also have received funding, sharing nearly $10 million.
Graham Scoles, U of S associate dean of research, said the feed centre project already has $5 million lined up from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, but $2 million more needs to be raised before construction begins.
That facility will have a feed mill and lab and among other projects will work to develop livestock feed products from distillers grains and oilseed residue, byproducts of the biofuel industry.
Three new research chairs will also be established to study feed, carbohydrate use and process engineering.
The Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Prairie Diagnostic Services lab are receiving $5.8 million for biosecurity in the facility’s expansion.
The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute received $4.4 million for bioenergy use in livestock and other agricultural processes. The Western Beef Development Centre is using its share of the PAMI money to assemble a new breeding herd of beef cattle.
The only money handed out that didn’t relate to new developments or expansion of existing programs was operating dollars for the POS pilot plant.
Bob Morgan, who heads POS, said the $3 million given over three years will be used to pay for last year’s operations and provide $1 million each in 2007 and 2008 to cover ongoing expenses.
