Canada - Growers invest more than $3.7 million in 2024 to tackle canola agronomic priorities

The three Prairie, provincial canola grower associations have evaluated and selected 13 new canola research projects to receive funding under the Canola Agronomic Research Program (CARP) in 2024. This investment includes over $2.1 million from Alberta Canola, SaskCanola and Manitoba Canola Growers, as well as over $1.6 million from the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), bringing the total investment to over $3.7 million.

CARP supports canola agronomic research focused on increasing yield and profitability, reducing production risk and enhancing sustainability. The funded projects often provide new strategies for managing top pests and diseases, improving nutrient management and generating more resilient canola. Grower associations are pleased to partner with the WGRF, enabling even greater innovation and discovery.

″There is huge value in pooling levy dollars to invest in research projects that address canola agronomic issues that farmers in all three provinces face,″ says Keith Fournier, SaskCanola Chair. ″WGRF’s investment is an added bonus to the funding equation, it allows levy dollars to stretch further for more important research to occur.″

″WGRF is proud to partner with the Prairie canola grower associations in supporting critical research initiatives through the CARP Program,″ states Laura Reiter, WGRF Board Chair. ″Together, we are making investments in canola research that will benefit farmers by giving them the knowledge and tools needed for success in the field.″

The 2024 projects awarded funding are focused on:

• Understanding the impact of verticillium stripe and its relation to blackleg

• Clubroot management and monitoring

• Flea beetle tracking and trapping

• Developing novel strategies to improve resiliency against biotic and abiotic threats

The findings from these projects are incorporated into various tools, including the Canola Research Hub and the Canola Encyclopedia.