Agriculture and agri-food moving forward : Innovation through science and technology. the Government of Canada's achievement in agriculture.

8 Pages·1997·0.33 MB·English

by  Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2012 with funding from
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada
http://www.archive.org/details/agricultureagrif06cana
CULTURE AND FOOD
A G R A G R
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Innovation through
and Technology
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1*1 Agriculture and Agriculture et Canada
Agri-Food Canada Agroalimentaire Canada
Innovation for the Future The Research Mission and Business
Canada's agri-food industry is one "To improve the on-going competitiveness of the Canadian food and
of the oldest sectors of our economy, agriculture sector through the development and transfer of innovative
deeply rooted in our history and culture. technologies. " (Research Branch Business Plan 1995-2000, pg 15)
But it is also one of the most innovative,
knowledge-intensive sectors - increas- "Focus on research of national significance that is valuable to Canada
ingly dependent on leading edge but which the private sector could not provide profitably, working alone.
research, science and technology to We do not compete with the private sector in areas where they have an
stay competitive today and in the future. interest and capability to do the R&D. Rather, we collaborate to create
wealth where our strengths are complementary and there is a need to
New technologies have dramatically share risk/' (Research Branch Business Plan 1995-2000, pg 15)
changed the way food is produced,
processed, transported and distributed
across Canada and around the world. The federal government is committed • quality, safety and product
Canada's success in transforming agri- to working with the industry to keep competitiveness;
culture and agri-food into a high-tech, the Canadian food and agriculture • environmental practices that sustain
forward looking industry has made it sector competitive through the develop- agricultural production; and
an international leader in innovation. ment and transfer of new technologies. • developing and transferring
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada technologies that add value to
The Federal Commitment continues to re-focus research and products for strategic advantage.
development to become more client
That leadership is more important driven, more efficient, and more relevant Research and innovation benefits by
today than ever before. In today's to the needs of producers and proces- "clustering" - assembling a pool of
global economy, science and technology sors across the country. That effort is knowledge and expertise by concen-
are the key to continued growth in the paying off. trating specialized research facilities
agri-food sector and secure jobs for and industries in one area. These clus-
Canadians working in the industry. Research Centre Networks ters become incubation centres for
innovation through strategic partner-
Over the past few years the department ships and exchange of information.
The Research Key to Growth has been reorganizing its research
facilities, creating a network of research For example, some of the department's
Innovation creates wealth. centres. Agriculture and Agri-Food top molecular biologists are now work-
Economist Robert Solow, Canada now has 18 national research ing in the research centre in Saskatoon,
recognized with a Nobel Prize centres across the country. Each centre a city which is becoming a world leader
for his work on innovation, noted has a specialized research focus, in agricultural biotechnology. A growing
that between 1909 and 1949, only reflecting industry strengths of the number of companies - including multi-
one-eighth of growth in the U.S. region where it is located and can nationals that could set up anywhere
could be attributed to increases in also respond to needs in its area of in the world - are coming to Saskatoon,
capital. Innovation, he concluded, specialization on a broader regional because they recognize that this is
was behind the other and national basis. where the leading edge of research is
seven-eighths of U.S. growth. developing. They know that this is the
In a 1992 study entitled Multi- Federal researchers and scientists have place to satisfy their biotechnology
factor Productivity for Canadian a well-earned international reputation needs in agriculture.
Agriculture, authors S. Narayanan for excellence in basic research. Staff
and E. Kizita found that in the at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Each of the 18 national centres is the
years 1962 to 1990, primary research centres conduct world-class hub of an interconnected network that
agriculture and forestry led research aimed at improving the links with sister centres across the coun-
all Canadian industrial sectors long-term competitiveness of the try For example, there are centres for
and productivity growth. Canadian food and agriculture sector. tree fruit research in British Columbia,
Research and development activities beef system research in Alberta, cereal
yield improvements in all areas of the research in Manitoba, eastern cereal
industry, with a focus on: and oilseed research in Ontario,
hog research in Quebec and potato Research Projects Les services NPK+ inc. and the
research in New Brunswick. By concen- Association des manufacturiers de
trating facilities and resources in areas The projects supported through the produits alimentaires du Quebec
where they are closest to the industry, Matching Investment Initiative include: are combined to develop more
the government is helping trigger a • The Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre efficient and environmentally sustain-
new dynamic between federal research in B.C. is working with the Ironwood able vegetable production systems.
and industrial applications in the agri- Clay Co. to test a new natural grow- • In the Atlantic region, McCain Foods
food sector. ing media additive for soilless green- Ltd. and scientists from the Fredericton
house crops. Research Centre are looking into
This reflects the high priority the depart- • The Lacombe Research Centre in different irrigation and fertilizer
ment puts on increasing the relevance Alberta is investigating the main cellu- combinations. Their goal is to lower
and decreasing the distance between lar mechanisms of meat tenderness. potato processing costs while reduc-
research centres and clients. Always • Scientists at the Saskatoon Research ing ground water pollution.
seeking better ways to do this, we are Centre are working with the Canola • In RE.L, Ingleside Farms and the
encouraging our clients to link up with Council of Canada to improve the Charlottetown Research Centre are
any of our research networks - from quality of canola oil and meal, working to maximize the yield of
anywhere in Canada. You can get infor- and to develop canola's resistance Russet Burbank potatoes using small
mation, participate in management and to blackleg disease. whole seed.
research, browse our internet home • The Cereal Research Centre in • In Nova Scotia, at the research centre
page or visit any research centre. Winnipeg is taking a lead role in in Kentville, a new dessert product
a project with the Western Grains from Sarsfield Foods Ltd. is in the
Tapping into our multi-disciplinary and Research Foundation to improve works. The exact ingredients are a
commodity research network from any- genetic resistance to a fungcl secret, but we do know it is made
where in Canada is easy. Just call, write, disease of wheat. with horticultural produce.
fax, e-mail or visit us. • The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable • Newfoundland's PA Pure Additions,
Producers' Marketing Board has Inc., is looking to develop new forage
Matching Investment Initiative teamed up with the research centre crops. Working with the St. John's
in Harrow to come up with better, Research Centre, they are investigat-
The government has introduced a biology-based strategies to manage ing the beach pea's potential as a
research funding mechanism to ensure greenhouse pests. commercially viable forage, food
that federal agri-food research can be • In Quebec the efforts of the research and industrial crop.
tied directly to industry needs. Under centre in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu,
the Matching Investment Initiative, intro-
duced in 1995, the department can Return on Investment (ROD Studies
match, one-for-one, industry contribu-
tions to collaborative research projects. • A key priority of the department's agri-food R&D activity is to help ensure
In the first year, more than 500 agree- the health and safety of the resource base and agricultural production.
ments were reached between the gov- • In order to demonstrate the economic impact of publicly funded R&D, the
ernment and the private sector, repre- Research Branch has commissioned two separate studies that estimate the
senting research and development total return and the rate of return on wheat and potato R&D.
projects totalling more than $23 million. • Using "conservative estimates," university and federal economists have
The budget for federal contributions concluded that wheat research provided a return on investment of 34%,
in the first year of the initiative was while that conducted on potatoes yielded a return of 28%.
$12.5 million. The government increased • Translating that into dollars, the net benefit per year for wheat and potato
the budget to $21.6 million in 1996-97; R&D was $377 million and $220 million respectively, for a combined net
and it will continue to grow steadily benefit of $597 million.
to reach $35.2 million in 1998-99 -
representing a total government-industry What Does That Really Mean?
shared commitment that could reach
over $70 million if fully subscribed. From 1960 to 1995, AAFC was the major source of R&D in both commodity
areas, conducting approximately 80% of wheat R&D and 60% of potato R&D.
As a consequence, the component attributable to AAFC's efforts more than
pays for the department's current annual R&D budget.
BIBII0THE0UE CANADIENNE DE L AGRICULTURE
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For More Information HORTICULTURE RESEARCH & SASKATOON RESEARCH CENTRE
SASKATCHEWAN
(List of Research Centre DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
SAINT-JEAN SUR RICHELIEU, QUEBEC CONTACT:
AND Mil CONTACTS)
CONTACT: Dr. Ashley O'Sullivan, Director
Dr. Denis Demars, Director [phone]
STJOHN'S RESEARCH CENTRE
[phone]
NEWFOUNDLAND SEMIARD PRAIRIE AGRICULTURAL
CONTACT: FOOD RESEARCH & RESEARCH CENTRE
Dr. John Richards, Director DEVELOPMENT CENTRE SWIFT CURRENT, SASKATCHEWAN
[phone] SAINT-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC CONTACT:
CONTACT: Dr. Wayne Lindwall, Director
CHARLOTTETOWN RESEARCH CENTRE Dr. Claude Aube, Director [phone]
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
[phone]
CONTACT: LETHBRIDGE RESEARCH CENTRE
Dr. Dave Bailey, Director PEST MANAGEMENT RESEARCH CENTRE ALBERTA
[phone] LONDON, ONTARIO CONTACT:
CONTACT: Dr. Steve Morgan Jones, Director
ATLANTIC FOOD & HORTICULTURE [phone]
Dr. Frank Marks, Director
RESEARCH CENTRE
(519)4577470
KENTVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA LACOMBE RESEARCH CENTRE
CONTACT: GREENHOUSE & PROCESSING CROPS ALBERTA
Dr. Wade Johnson, Director RESEARCH CENTRE CONTACT:
[phone] HARROW, ONTARIO Dr. Perry Lidster, Director
CONTACT: [phone]
FREDERICTON RESEARCH CENTRE
Dr. Gary Whitfield, Director
NEW BRUNSWICK PACIFIC AGRI-FOOD RESEARCH CENTRE
[phone]
CONTACT: BRITISH COLUMBIA
Dr. Gilles Saindon, Director EASTERN CEREAL & OILSEEDS CONTACT:
[phone] RESEARCH CENTRE Dr. Gordon Neish, Director
OTTAWA, ONTARIO [phone]
SOILS & CROPS RESEARCH & CONTACT:
DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Dr. John Dueck
SAINT-FOY QUEBEC
[phone]
CONTACT:
Mme Angele St-Yves, Director CEREAL RESEARCH CENTRE
[phone] WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
CONTACT:
DAIRY & SWINE RESEARCH &
Dr. Jim Bole, Director
DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
983-0099
(204)
LENNOXVILLE, QUEBEC
CONTACT: BRANDON RESEARCH CENTRE
Dr. Jean-Marc Deschenes, Director MANITOBA
[phone] CONTACT:
Dr. Reg Kucey Director
[phone]
April 1997 Published by:
Communications Branch,Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada
For Publications or Information: The Agriculture Canada Electronic Canadian Rural Information Service:
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Information Service (ACEIS) Telephone: [phone]
Sir John Carling Building, Can Be Accessed: Fax: [phone]
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TEL.: [phone] • Electronic BBS Agri-Food Trade Network
FAX: [phone] (14.4 Computer modem): Internet: http://atn-riae.agr.ca
e-mail: [email protected], 1-800-234-4410 or [phone]
Internet: http://www.agr.ca • Fax-on-demand/Telephone:
Publication 1929E 1-800-234-2222 or [phone]
Cat No. A22-165/3-1997E • ACEIS Help Desk: 1-800-410-7104
ISBN: 0-662-25722-7
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