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Edmonton, Alberta – Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is a critical disease in canola that threatens a crop that contributed $12.9 billion (2022) in exports to Canada’s economy [AB $4 billion]. By infecting the plant’s root, clubroot disrupts water and nutrient uptake, resulting in stunted growth, reduced seed quality, and significant yield losses of up to 50%.

Edmonton, Alberta — Through the spring and fall of 2022, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAI) triggered the on-farm culling of over 1.4 million birds in Alberta. This new research investment aims to reduce the impact of future HPAI outbreaks and is crucial to securing a safe food supply and a stable poultry industry in Alberta.

Edmonton, Alberta – 39 research projects have been awarded $11.49 million in funding via the Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC). The AFC is a body comprised of 18 agricultural organizations that leverage and coordinate funding to support sustainability, diversification and long-term growth for agriculture and the food industry in Western Canada.

Edmonton, Alberta — RDAR, The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and Alberta Oat Growers Commission are pleased to announce a $782,400 investment in Alberta Regional Variety Trials (RVT). This project will put verified variety data into the hands of Alberta producers, enabling them to make the best crop decisions for their farm operations. RDAR’s funding contribution for this research project is valued at $582,300 over three years.

Edmonton, Alberta — Almost half of Canada’s honeybee colonies did not survive the winter of 2021, the most significant loss of honeybees in 20 years. Bees are vital to our world and economy, with the security of our food supply depending on pollinators. That is why there is a definite buzz about RDAR funding an Alberta beekeeper project to fight the Varroa destructor mite (Varroa), a deadly parasite infecting bees and destroying bee colonies. 

Edmonton, Alberta — Currently, the best way to find out whether or not a potato is good to go to market is basic and old-fashioned – cut it open and look to see if there are defects. The process is time-consuming and destructive, taking good potatoes off the production line for random testing. A new research project at Lethbridge College aims to use cutting-edge near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging technology to test potato quality more quickly in a way that doesn’t destroy good product.

Edmonton, Alberta – RDAR and Genome Alberta, with the Government of Canada and Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development, today announced $5.1 million in funding through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) for agriculture genomics projects. This investment is leveraged 2.5 times with other non-government funding for a total investment of $12.1 million.

Edmonton, Alberta – Traditionally, potato producers use the late fall – a time when their other crops require less attention – to prep their potato beds for the following spring. The long-established process has its benefits, but also creates concerns, including loss of soil fertility, crop nutrient availability and an increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

Edmonton, AB – A growing research partnership between Lethbridge College and Southern Irrigation will provide valuable insight that could help producers maximize their crop production. The college and Southern Irrigation are studying the opportunities created by subsurface drip fertigation (SDF), a method that applies water and fertilizer directly to the rootzones of plants through a series of pipes.

Edmonton, Alberta – The three Prairie, provincial canola grower associations have evaluated and selected 14 new canola research projects to receive funding under the Canola Agronomic Research Program (CARP) in 2022. This investment includes over $1.6 million from Alberta Canola, SaskCanola and Manitoba Canola Growers, as well as matching funds of over $1 million from the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and $450,000 contributed from Results Driven Agricultural Research (RDAR). The total investment into 2022 CARP projects is over $3.2 million.