Manitoba Canola Growers Association members are the latest producer group to put cash behind a proposed updated ag research centre at the University of Manitoba.
“MCGA has long recognized UM as a key resource for quality education and agricultural research. As the birthplace of canola, it holds special significance to the canola industry,” said Delaney Ross Burtnack, MCGA’s executive director, in a September 27 news release.
MCGA pledged $500,000 to support construction of the Prairie Crops and Soils Research Facility (PCSRF) at the university. This brings the total raised to about $6.4 million or nearly 55 per cent of the $11.8-million goal, said Martin Scanlon, dean of the faculty of agriculture and food sciences, in an email to the Co-operator.
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The new centre will support growing crop production systems research programs, the university wrote in an introductory document. In particular, the centre will include increased and streamlined processing capacity for tasks like washing, drying and grinding. It will add “much-needed” spaces for seed processing, and include state-of-the-art equipment.
“The University of Manitoba is in the process of securing over $5.3 million for complementary field, analytical, and “smart” farm equipment that will support learning and research associated with activities centred around the PCSRF,” Scanlon added.
MCGA said it values its partnership with UM where it is funding 12 projects through the Canola Agronomic Research Partnership, Canola AgriScience Cluster and Manitoba Extreme Moisture Program.
“Manitoba farmers benefit from Manitoba-focused research and this facility will ensure Manitoba is on the leading edge of discovering and bringing these advancements to our farms,” said Clayton Harder, chair of MCGA, in a news release.
Scanlon said it’s important to have groups like MCGA and the Manitoba Crop Alliance, which pledged $500,000 in May, on board.
“The vast majority of the research and research training conducted in the faculty of agricultural and food sciences, and also our classroom teaching, addresses how to improve our current food systems, particularly the foods and feed derived from grains and oilseeds,” he said.
For instance, “What are the agronomic and cropping systems that will deliver the best performance and long-term sustainability of canola in the province, and how will emerging challenges (e.g. climate change, carbon policies) alter how these agronomic and cropping systems deliver results for farmers?” said Scanlon.
The university hopes to hit its fundraising goal by December 2022, said Scanlon.
