Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) welcomed the $158 million Growing Canadian Agri-Innovations Program. DFC has been working with the Dairy Processors Association of Canada (DPAC) to develop three research areas for the agri-science clusters.
The research areas address human nutrition and health, food safety and finding ways to reduce the dairy industry’s carbon footprint on the environment.
“DFC and DPAC have long awaited the details of the “research clusters” announced in the Growing Forward agreement,” said Jacques Laforge, President of Dairy Farmers of Canada. “We welcome this opportunity to work together on research of public interest and actively develop research proposals.”
DFC and DPAC have supported the concept of agri-science clusters to bring industry, academic and government expertise together to address new opportunities to make agriculture more profitable and competitive, from the beginning. This program will allow various agricultural sectors to access up to $16 million in matching funds for priority research projects.
For over one year, the dairy industry has been working on identifying priority topics of research interest to both producers and processors and now that the forms are available, we will be ready to submit applications for funding soon. DFC invests over $2 million in research every year, in the areas of nutrition, animal care, environmental research, food safety and more. These research projects are carried out in collaboration with universities and AAFC research centres.
DFC and DPAC welcome the government’s continued support for world class research and applaud the leadership at AAFC that has delivered this important research program for Canadian agriculture.
