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IN AN EFFORT
to target our research and
innovation efforts toward opportunities which
enhance farmer-members’ returns, the core
strategies of the research department at Grain
Farmers of Ontario are centered on influencing
research priority-setting in the grain sector,
investing farmer-member dollars into high
priority research, leveraging farmer-member
dollars with government and industry funds,
and playing an active role in supporting
commercialization of research results.
In 2015-2016, the research department
launched into preparations for the next federal
Agriculture Policy Framework (expected to
begin in April 2018). We engaged with provincial
and national producer and value chain groups
across Canada to develop national research
strategies and priorities for each of the five
crops we represent. These coordinated efforts
and alliances provide an opportunity to improve
the effectiveness of our research efforts and
provide a unified voice to government and
industry on our priorities.
This past year, Grain Farmers ofOntario invested
$1.7 million into new and ongoing research
projects and was involved in 67 projects. By
leveraging grower checkoff dollars through
other funding sources, every $1 invested by
Grain Farmers of Ontario was matched with
$3.35 from other government and industry
funding sources for a total value of $7.3 million.
NEW PROJECTS
Each year the Research Department updates
its research priorities. In our 2015 Call for
Proposals, researchers could apply for funding
in any of our four core research priority areas.
The response to the 2015 Call for Proposals
was very good with 42 proposals received, of
which the board approved 15 across our four
core priority areas. Many of these projects
have matching funding from industry and
government and also leverage national and
international scientific expertise.
This years Call for Proposals emphasized
specific phosphorous priorities to support
Grain Farmers of Ontario’s overall 4R
nutrient stewardship strategy to address
water quality in the Great Lakes. Research
staff met with phosphorus experts and
researchers in Ontario to identify these
targeted phosphorus priorities, which
included the evaluation of the impacts of
various tillage systems and major soil
types on phosphorous recommendations;
the identification and validation of best
management practices (BMPs) for
phosphorous, including consideration of soil
type and weather; and the evaluation of the
impacts of soil phosphorous stratification on
soil tests in various tillage systems.
As of May 1, 2016, we have approved funding
for four projects on phosphorus management.
The projects will attempt to answer questions
about the impact of cover crops on phosphorus
losses, the impact of strip-tillage and
management zones on phosphorus losses,
the baseline ‘landscape sensitivity’ in order
to recommend appropriate phosphorous
BMPs, and the impact of having a diverse
cropping system on phosphorus run-off losses.
These projects will help shape the understanding
of drivers of phosphorus loss and how it may
differ between regions.
List of phosphorus management projects:
• “Phosphorus Loss Mitigation: Cover Crop
Species and Soil P Interactions” (Ivan
O’Halloran)
• “Tillage, Fertility & Potential Phosphorus
Movement” (Aaron Breimer)
• “Landscape Sensitivity to P Losses:
Biogeochemical Analysis of Agricultural
Soils” (Merrin Macrae)
• “Environmental and Economic Value of
Soil Services” (Claudia Wagner-Riddle)
PUBLIC ONLINE RESEARCH
PROJECTS DATABASE
In an effort to improve awareness of research
projects funded by Grain Farmers of Ontario,
we are preparing to launch an interactive
research project database in fall 2016. The
database will include project descriptions and
results summaries for recent projects as the
first part of a new knowledge transfer strategy
being developed and implemented at Grain
Farmers of Ontario. The mobile-friendly web
application will be accessible through
www.gfo.ca/research.Researchers and farmer-
members will be able to use the fully searchable
and sortable database to learn about the
research department’s areas of focus, completed
projects, and ongoing commitments.
ä
Funding Program
Numberof
Projects
Total Project
Value
Ontario Farm Innovation Program (2013 - 2015)
5
$472,627
Growing Forward 2 - Organizations and Collaborations (2014-2017)
15
$5,106,778
Growing Forward 2 - AgriInnovation Program - Industry-led Research and Development Stream -
Projects (2014 - 2018)
2
$550,000
Growing Forward 2 - AgriInnovation Program - Industry-led Research and Development Stream -
Eastern Canada activities (2013-2018)
16
$11,690,000
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2010-2017)
3
$796,276
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Research Funding (2011-2017)
6
$1,821,000
Funded by Grain Farmers of Ontario and other partners outside of government programs (2012-2017)
6
$6,750,166
Exclusively funded by Grain Farmers of Ontario (2011-2018)
14
$1,595,768
TOTAL VALUE OF PROJECTS
67
$28,739,615
TOTAL NUMBER AND VALUE OF ACTIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS.
Research
JOSH COWAN, MANAGER,
RESEARCH