Over the last two days, the provincial government has announced they will be investing a combined $17.5 million for crop and livestock research initiatives.

On the crop research side of the books, a staggering $12 million will provide funding for 44 crop-related research projects through Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) and the Strategic Research Initiative (SRI).

Agriculture Minister, David Marit, stated that the funding will be dispersed across a variety of fields of study including herbicide resistance, pest control, crop breeding. He added that this research will aid producers with the knowledge and technologies to compete on a global scale and ultimately boost their bottom lines. Specifically, support from the ADF will be awarded to researchers who are developing a weed control system for herbicide resistant wild oat in wheat, enhancing extraction of vitamins from canola crush co-product, improving protein and seed quality in peas and determining the ideal seeding date for quinoa.

On the other side of the books, livestock and forage research initiatives will receive $5.5 million in funding across 34 projects.

Research projects funded under ADF will include enhancing biosecurity, improving vaccines and breeding forage varieties specific for Saskatchewan’s soil. Projects which include rigorous field level demonstrations and/or the evaluation of targeted practices and technologies, which are said to not only advance the objectives of the industry but also support extension delivery.

According to the most recent numbers from Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan accounted for more than two-fifths of Canada’s total field crop acreage with 36.7 million acres. Additionally, although there was a decline from previous reports, Saskatchewan continues to be the second largest beef cattle producing province in Canada.