The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) invests $3.3 million for field equipment and phenomics at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research and development centres.
AAFC has 6 Research and Development Centres and 8 Research Farms within the prairie region of Canada, therefore AAFC plays an important role in accelerating agriculture research and innovation in the region.
AAFC stations and research farms that will benefit from the $3.3 million funding include Brandon, Indian Head, Swift Current, Morden, Saskatoon, Lacombe, Lethbridge, and Portage La Prairie.
Funding will also provide equipment such as multiple plot seeders, combines, sprayers, swathers, and irrigation equipment. In addition, a field-based phenotyping equipment will be purchased to measure plant characteristics like height, nitrogen content, photosynthesis, and other qualitative plant growth characteristics. The combination of equipment will benefit both variety development and agronomy research.
Dr. Joyce Boye, Director General for AAFC’s Science and Technology Branch for the Prairie Region, says some of the funds will be put towards data-based tools to speed up the ability to breed wheat that can withstand the extremes of a dryer climate.
“Prairie farmers will see the results of this investment through improved crop productivity and resource use efficiency,” says Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Board Chair member of WGRF.
Western Grains Research Foundation is a farmer-funded and farmer-directed non-profit organization investing in agricultural research. Since 1981, producers have invested over $210 million in breeding and crop research through WGRF.