News
Canadian government pledges support to dairy and livestock innovation
Aug. 14, 2008 - In an effort to 'restore science and innovation to the heart of agriculture', the Government of Canada announced recently the funding of nearly a quarter of a million dollars for two projects for the dairy industry in British Columbia.
August 14, 2008 By Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
August 13, 2008
Agassiz, British Columbia – The Government of Canada is contributing $233,500 to two applied research studies to be carried out at the University of British Columbia's (UBC) Dairy Education and Research Centre. Randy Kamp, Member of Parliament for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission, made the announcement today on behalf of Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.
"The Government of Canada is restoring science and innovation to its rightful place at the heart of agriculture," said Mr. Kamp. "We are committed to working with farmers to find innovative and sustainable avenues to improve their bottom line while protecting the environment."
- $203,500 is being provided to the UBC Dairy Education and Research Centre and Department of Civil Engineering to create a slow-release fertilizer by recovering nutrients from dairy manure waste. The study will also explore converting the bio-energy produced during the recovery process into heat or electricity.
- $30,000 is being provided to the UBC Animal Welfare Program to examine how the overall health of dairy cattle is affected by the design and comfort of their living facilities. The results of this study will help producers better understand cow comfort and its relationship to cow health, production, and fertility.
Investment Agriculture Foundation (IAF) of B.C. Chair Stuart Wilson says the Foundation is pleased to support innovation in the dairy and livestock industries.
"Whether it's enhancing producer knowledge and training for dairy professionals or capturing value from agricultural waste and by-products, if it's a priority for industry it's a priority for the Foundation. Industry groups come to us with their project ideas in these areas and we then provide the necessary investment to enable them to make it happen."
In British Columbia, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program is delivered through the IAF. The IAF is a not-for-profit organization that manages and distributes federal and provincial funds in support of innovative projects for the benefit of the agriculture and agri-food industries in B.C.
For more information on ACAAF, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/acaaf. To learn more about IAF, please visit www.iafbc.com.
