February 24, 2022 – 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.

CARP supports canola agronomic research focused on increasing yield and profitability, reducing production risk and enhancing sustainability. The grower associations are pleased to partner with WGRF and RDAR, enabling even greater innovation and discovery.

“Through these recent partnerships, CARP has leveraged significant dollars for robust canola research funding,” says Chuck Fossay, Chair of Manitoba Canola Growers. “The research projects in this program are selected by farmers to maximize benefits of all canola farmers.”

“Agronomic research is an important funding priority for WGRF,” says Dr. Keith Degenhardt, WGRF board chair. “WGRF is committed to supporting research that will deliver a positive on-farm impact and we are excited about the potential impact these projects can have for Western Canadian farmers.”

The 2022 projects awarded funding are focused on:

• Surveillance of pathogen and insect populations,
• Abiotic stress tolerance,
• Weed management, including herbicide resistant weeds,
• Crop physiology,
• Pollinator impact on yield stability,
• Integrated disease management, and
• Improving nitrogen management and reducing nitrous oxide emissions.

About CARP
CARP is funded by the three provincial grower organizations – Alberta Canola, SaskCanola and the Manitoba Canola Growers, and is administered by the Canola Council of Canada (CCC). Additional funds are provided for some CARP projects by WGRF and other occasional partners. Proposals are reviewed by the grower association research committees, with additional agronomic insight from the CCC’s crop production and innovation team.

The findings from these projects are incorporated into various tools, including the Canola Research Hub and the Canola Encyclopedia. More information on CARP can be found at canolacouncil.org.  

About WGRF
The Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is a farmer-funded and farmer-directed non-profit organization investing in agricultural research that benefits Western Canadian farmers. WGRF is the largest producer funder of field crop research in Canada. Since 1981, WGRF has funded over $210 million of research in field crops of interest to Western Canadian farmers.

About RDAR
RDAR is a not-for-profit organization that will continually consult with Alberta’s crop and livestock producers to set research priorities and distribute funds. Its mandate is: to support results-driven agriculture research priorities and programs that will increase the competitiveness and profitability of Alberta’s agriculture industry. Arm’s length from the provincial government, RDAR is funded by two sources: The Government of Alberta, the Government of Canada, and Alberta’s Government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership program. rdar.ca

Website: http://www.canola-council.org

Published: February 24, 2022