Research and Development

• Key Players for Research and Development:
  • Western Grains Research Foundation
  • Canadian International Grains Institute
  • Canadian Malting and Brewing Technical Centre
  • Canadian Grain Commission –Research Lab
  
  
• Western Grains Research Foundation – WGRF
  • Begun in 1981 with some monies from Prairie Farm Assistance Act
  • Since 2000 the WGRF receives funds deemed to be in excess of the set railway revenue cap –goes into Endowment Fund
  • Continuous funding: producer check-off on grain sales taken from CWB final payments ($.50/MT for barley; $.30/MT for wheat). Farmer funded and directed.
  
  
• Canadian International Grains Institute (CIGI)
  • Provides educational programs and technical expertise to customers. Programs are customized by commodity (e.g. wheat), end use (e.g. animal feed) or subject (e.g. grain marketing)
  • Capabilities: flour milling, noodle and pasta production, bakery, food use barley, pulses, biodiesel, feed, and grain marketing
  • Future funding - part of the new levy agreement with partners. The Institute anticipates it will be much bigger and more commercially focused over time
  • Some exciting work being done with Canada Prairie Spring wheat for noodle and steam bun uses
  
  
• Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC)
  • A non-profit, independent organization to assist the malting and brewing industries
  • Mission – Applied malting and brewing research
  • Objectives - customer education, technical support/guidance, problem solving, training, applied research
  • Services – consulting on brewing/malting production issues, new product development, trouble shooting, barley analysis, malt analysis, beer analysis
  
  
• Canadian Grain Commission Research Lab
  • Grain biotechnology research – develops and evaluates assays for detection, identification and quantification of GMO’s
  • Variety Identification monitoring – supports Canada’s quality assurance system through variety testing
  • Support variety registration with quality control lab work and reviews new lines prior to registration
  
  
• Governments and industry recognize the importance of existing research programs.
• There are research opportunities in more than Hard Red Spring wheat. Medium quality wheats (CPS/General Purpose) hold considerable potential for some processing markets.
• New funding mechanisms for our research institutions are being considered, with details still to be determined.