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Investment in research to support Canada’s bioproducts sector

Sept. 11, 2014 - Canada's Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz and Mike Wallace, MP for Burlington, Ont. have announced an investment of $7M to Bioindustrial Innovation Canada, a company focused on helping Canada become a globally recognized leader in bioindustrial products. The funding will be used for a first-of-its-kind national bioproducts cluster that will reportedly help bridge the gap between research and market-ready products by connecting technology development projects from across Canada. It is estimated that the global market for bioproducts will reach $200 billion by 2030.

"Bioindustrial Innovation Canada is looking forward to collaborating with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in the establishment of the AgSci Cluster, says Dr. Murray McLaughlin, Executive Director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada. "[It] will position Canada in a leadership role in the bioeconomy by investing in the development of commercially viable agricultural based bioproducts and creating new market opportunities for Canadian farmers."

The results are expected to create opportunities for Canadian farmers and provide a more competitive future for Canadian agriculture by putting farm waste to profitable use. Scientists will work with industry partners on adding value to the agriculture sector and responding to global demand for environmentally-friendly bioproducts, by exploring the use of food by-products for the manufacture of gums and landscape products, and developing new varieties of wheat, rye and triticale that can be used to produce high-value biochemicals and bioenergy.

"This national bioproducts cluster is the first of its kind in Canada," says Ritz. "[It] will further enable farmers and food processors to find additional markets that turn today's waste into tomorrow's solutions, helping Canada become a globally recognized leader in environmentally friendly bioindustrial products."

The investment is made through the Industry-led Research and Development stream of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's AgriInnovation Program, a five-year, up to $698-million initiative under Growing Forward 2.

September 11, 2014  By Top Crop Manager