$6.6M boost for USask’s Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence

Jun 28, 2023

Saskatchewan’s minister of agriculture, the Honourable David Marit, announced funding today on behalf of the governments of Canada and Saskatchewan of $6.6 million over five years for the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence (LFCE).

The investment demonstrates the federal and provincial governments’ strong commitment to advancing the livestock and forage industries across Saskatchewan and beyond, said centre director Dr. Scott Wright (PhD).

“We are grateful to both levels of government for providing this critical funding,” said Wright.

“It will enable us to do our part and further leverage this funding to grow capacity in these sectors through the dynamic and innovative integrated research, education, and outreach conducted at our centre by students and university faculty scientists. In addition, we are building a solid, science-based staff to enhance research, teaching, and industry engagement.”

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Video: Season 7, Episode 1: Managing Risk and Seeing Opportunities in U.S. Pork Production

Today’s episode features three guests discussing the similarities and differences between pork production in the United States and Brazil, along with strategies for managing risk in today’s industry while recognizing and acting on opportunities. First, Dr. Anne Caroline de Lara, executive manager of live pig production at Seara Alimentos, a JBS company in Brazil, is joined by Dr. Matthew Turner, head of operations for JBS Live Pork. Together, they discuss how labor, climate and ventilation challenges vary between Brazil and the United States, while underscoring their shared commitment to raising healthy pigs. They also point to lessons producers in both countries can take from one another’s systems and on-farm experiences. Then, Brady Reicks, risk manager at Reicks View Farms, shares his perspective on risk management, drawing from his background in markets and his transition into farming. He discusses how protecting margins varies by operation and offers practical approaches producers can use to make marketing and business decisions with greater confidence rather than hesitation.

Both conversations were recorded at recent industry events focused on swine livability, including the International Conference on Pig Livability and Iowa Swine Day.