After consultations with farmers, industry and key partners in the agriculture sector earlier this year, the Alberta government announced the creation of Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), a non-profit, arm’s-length agriculture research organization, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Devin Dreeshen says in a release on March 30.
The new organization takes the best parts of previous research models, such as Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency and Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund, the release says. “It is imperative that agriculture research in Alberta achieves outcomes that can be applied in the field and on the ranch.”
In consultations held earlier this year it was found there was a consensus farmers, in collaboration with others involved in research, are best positioned to determine agricultural research priorities, the release says.
An interim board lead by Gerald Hauer has been set up. Other members include David Chalack, Brian Otto, Tom Steve, Kelly Smith-Fraser, Nichole Neubauer, Stanford Blade, Matt Sawyer, Melissa Downing and Vance Yaremko. A regionally reflective advisory board will assist the interim board with decisions.
Research funding will start being given out by September, with full operational capacity by March, 2021, the release says. Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, $2 million in grant funding will be provided this year to support initial operations.
