Investment will total nearly $10 million
By Diego Flammini, Farms.com
In an effort to bring together research, teaching, outreach, industry training, agriculture, veterinarians, producers, government and educational initiatives, the Canadian federal government and provincial government of Saskatchewan are investing in a new Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan.
The government investment will total $10 million, the University of Saskatchewan will provide the land and up to $7 million for construction costs, and the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association will contribute $1 million to the facility.
"Saskatchewan is home to world-class livestock and forage research work, and the creation of a Centre of Excellence will support the continued profitability and sustainability of an industry that is a major economic driver for our province and for Canada,” said Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture Lyle Stewart. “The work of this Centre will help Saskatchewan’s farmers and ranchers remain competitive in the global marketplace."
The new facility will undertake livestock and forage research and provide hands-on training for agriculture and veterinary students in areas of herd health, animal welfare, disease prevention, breeding and development. The information will be transferred to farmers and ranchers to be used on their farms.
"One of the greatest challenges we face is how to produce food for a growing world population, humanely, efficiently, and sustainably,” said Vice President of Research, Karen Chad from the University of Saskatchewan. “Through this strong collaboration with government and industry, the University of Saskatchewan is helping livestock producers meet these challenges with new knowledge and highly trained graduates to aid their constant improvement and competitiveness on the world stage."
Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about the investment into the new Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence. What are some areas of livestock research that interest you?