The Alberta government is getting out of agricultural research with a new program called Results Driven Agricultural Research (RDAR).
The $37 million three-year program was kicked off in October with a $2 million grant from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
The non-profit agency will administer research grants under what the Alberta government describes as a model showing that producers are best suited to driving farm gate profitability.
The annual $37 million program brings together crop and livestock organizations, research organizations, universities and private research facilities.
Ross McKenzie, a soil scientist retired from Alberta Agriculture, told Real Agriculture he thinks the Alberta government wants to get out of agricultural research and move that function to the private sector.
About 250 Alberta Agriculture employees — half the staff going into 2020 — will be laid off under a $22 million reduction announced in the Alberta budget.
“So, on one hand, they are going to save $22 million but on the other hand they are going to spend $37 million,’’ said McKenzie. “So, it's going to cost them another $15 million a year to spend on the program and what they are doing now.’’
He expects education and private organizations will share the research under the three-year funding.
RDAR interim board members were drawn from various industry organizations, universities and private farming operations.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
