January 19, 2010 – Ottawa, Ontario
Mr. Blake Richards, Member of Parliament for Wild Rose, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced a contribution to Grow Safe Systems Ltd. from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).
The funding supports an innovative research and development project that will assist Grow Safe Systems in developing advanced software for the agriculture industry.
"Our government, through the Economic Action Plan, is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve Canadians' quality of life," said Mr. Richards. "This project will help Grow Safe develop innovative new technology that will stimulate the local economy while helping the cattle industry across Canada and around the world."
This $269,000 contribution will support Grow Safe Systems in researching, developing, and commercializing technology that measures water intake by cattle on pastures and in high-capacity feedlots, facilitating early identification and diagnosis of sick animals.
"Investing in science and technology is critical for developing highly skilled people and improving the long-term competitiveness of Canadian firms," said NRC President Dr. Pierre Coulombe. "That's why NRC-IRAP is helping innovative Canadian businesses such as Grow Safe Systems grow stronger, faster and bigger."
Grow Safe Systems' technology helps the agriculture industry monitor feeding techniques to improve the quality of cattle. Its clients include some of the world's leading agricultural universities, research facilities and commercial seed-stock operations.
"This Government of Canada's support through NRC-IRAP is providing incentive to leverage our internal research and development funding," said Camiel Huisma, President and Founder of Grow Safe Systems. "NRC-IRAP's support is a valuable cornerstone to the foundation of our technical and commercial success."
The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified innovative Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises.
The program is delivered by a field staff of 240 professionals in more than 100 communities across Canada. NRC-IRAP is committed to working with small- and medium-sized enterprises while they realize their full potential, turning knowledge and innovation into strategic opportunities, jobs and prosperity for all Canadians.
The government's Economic Action Plan has provided new resources of $200 million over the next two years to bolster NRC-IRAP support for innovative Canadian firms. To learn more about Canada's Economic Action Plan, visit www.actionplan.gc.ca.
Backgrounder
National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP)
NRC's main outreach to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is through its Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) which provides support to innovative companies in Canada undertaking research and technology development projects for commercial purposes.
NRC-IRAP provides a range of both technical and business-oriented advisory services along with necessary financial support to qualified innovative Canadian SMEs. The program is delivered by a field staff of 240 business and technology experts in more than 100 communities across Canada. Working directly with SMEs, NRC-IRAP supports innovative research and development (R&D) and helps companies become commercialization-ready with their new products and services.
While the program operates three separate contribution programs – contribution to firms, contribution to organizations and a Youth Employment Program — NRC-IRAP's main contribution component is in the form of a non-repayable contribution that reimburses the labour costs of a research and development project directly to firms.
Science at work for Canada
NRC-IRAP received an investment in Budget 2009, Canada's Economic Action Plan, of $200 million over the next two years. This is new money. NRC-IRAP is committed to using this new funding to help the Government build a competitive advantage for Canada based on excellence in science and technology (S&T).
The funding includes $170 million to double NRC-IRAP's contributions to firms and $30 million to help hire more than 1,000 new post-secondary graduates via its Youth Employment Program.
The budget commitment reinforces NRC-IRAP's mandate to help SMEs take knowledge from the lab to the marketplace. The budget commitment also broadens NRC-IRAP's ability to provide S&T expertise to SMEs. NRC-IRAP estimates that this new money will allow it to support approximately 1,400 additional SMEs over the next two years.
Grow Safe Systems Ltd.
Airdrie, Alberta-based Grow Safe Systems' technology helps the agriculture industry monitor feeding techniques to improve the quality of cattle. Its clients include some of the world's leading agricultural universities, research facilities and commercial seed-stock operations.
Grow Safe Systems is one of the first companies to use radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to continuously monitor individual animals, enabling real-time and predictive livestock management.
Its product innovation includes feed-intake data-acquisition systems, animal-behavior monitoring systems, pasture-supplement feeding systems, cannulated pH data logging systems, and advanced software and database solutions.
This innovation assists in early identification of sick or poor performing animals, often more than four days in advance of current visual inspection methods, improving the quality and production efficiency of feed yards.
Grow Safe Systems has been an NRC-IRAP client since 1993 and credits its relationship with NRC-IRAP as an important contributor to its technical and commercial success.
