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THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013

VOL. 91 | NO. 30 | $4.25

TREES YIELD A SWEET JOB | BIRCH SUSTAINABLE LIVING P19

SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923

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WWW.PRODUCER.COM

RESEARCH | INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIPS

Canola research targets seven goals Canola council to lead project | Federal government contributes $15 million to projects

Ritz outlines plan for next two years Federal government will build on current strategies

BY ROBERT ARNASON BRANDON BUREAU

WINNIPEG — The federal government will contribute $15 million toward a new research cluster for canola, which will focus on sustainable production and differentiating canola from its competitors. Combined with industry contributions, the investment represents a $20 million commitment in canola research and innovation over the next five years. The $15 million commitment, through Growing Forward 2, is $500,000 more than the federal government funding for the previous version of the canola science cluster. Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz, who made the funding announcement July 22 at a Richardson research farm south of Winnipeg, said the Canola Council of Canada would lead and administer the research cluster. “It’s the industry driving the results that they’re looking to have, whether it comes to drought resistance or in some cases now flood resistance,” he told reporters following the announcement. “At the end of the day, they’re always looking to get more oil out of the product and more uses for the meal.” In a news release, the canola council said scientists participating in the research cluster would concentrate on seven strategic goals: • Oil nutrition. • Canola meal nutrition. • Canola health and integrated pest management. • Canola yield and quality optimization. • Integrated crop management and sustainability of canola production. • Canola supply surveillance and forecasting. • Science cluster tech transfer. Canola council president Patti Miller said the research themes were developed through consultations with grower groups, scientists and provincial governments. “So we could have a general idea on where people (put) the highest priority areas … and pull together the research programs to tackle those issues.” Curtis Rempel, council vice-president for crop production and innovation, said the focus on sustainability is partially due to a shift in market expectations.

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BY BARRY WILSON OTTAWA BUREAU

HALIFAX, N.S. — Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz is not considering a grand new agricultural policy vision as the Conservative government prepares for the final two years of its mandate. Instead, it will be a continuation of the transformative changes he has overseen during his six years in office, the past two backed by a majority government. “There’s always a lot of work to be done, but now a lot of it is institutional,” he said. Prime minister Stephen Harper recently announced that Parliament will reconvene in the fall with a throne speech, a new session and a renewed agenda. However, Ritz said he wants the next two years to be a time of building on directions he has already started. SEE RITZ OUTLINES PLAN, PAGE 2

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u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv.:! JULY 25, 2013 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4

A farmer near Austin, Man., sprays a canola field July 11. FOR MORE NEWS ABOUT CROPS, WEATHER AND PESTS, SEE PAGE 5 AND OUR CROP REPORT ON PAGE 24. | SANDY BLACK PHOTO

SEED FASTER WITH SMALL MACHINE P68 | SIMMENTAL CLASSIC P72

The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240

SEE $15M FUNDING, PAGE 2

AG POLICY | FEDERAL STRATEGY


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