July 8, 2015 – Winnipeg, Manitoba – Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC)
The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing more than $2 million over three years to support 24 research and development projects in Manitoba's agriculture and agri-food sector, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced today.
The funded projects cover a range of agricultural issues, including animal and human health, on-farm production technologies and opportunities for value-added industries, including:
- the effects of late planting on early-maturing soybeans;
- management strategies to control insecticide-resistant Colorado potato beetles;
- fusarium head blight resistance in barley;
- the long-term market effects of feeding and vaccination strategies for beef cattle;
- genetic markers for flavour selection in pork; and
- hemp consumption and human health trials.
In addition to the federal and provincial funding, applicants and funding partners are providing cash and in-kind contributions of approximately $3.6 million. Partners include agricultural businesses, commodity groups, the Western Grains Research Foundation and university and government researchers.
These projects are funded through Growing Innovation – Agri-Food Research and Development Initiative (GI-ARDI) under Growing Forward 2. For more information about GI-ARDI, visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture under Growing Forward 2.
The federal and provincial governments are investing $176 million in Manitoba under Growing Forward 2, a five-year, federal-provincial-territorial policy framework to advance the agriculture industry, helping producers and processors become more innovative and competitive in world markets.
For more information on Manitoba's agricultural programs and services, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBGovAg.
Jeff English
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Follow us on Twitter: @AAFC_Canada
Caedmon Malowany
Press Secretary
Office of Minister Ron Kostyshyn
204-945-1494
