Sask. research projects receive funding

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers invest $1.2 million

Representatives from the Government of Saskatchewan and commodity groups in the province recently announced $9.8 million in funding for 39 crop-related projects.

Provincial commodity groups and Saskatchewan’s Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), which is supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, are funding these projects.

Of the 39 projects, nine are pulse-specific research projects funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and ADF.

“It was a great collaboration between crop associations and the Saskatchewan government and we're really proud of the fact that we were able to invest $1.2 million towards these nine different projects,” said Brad Blackwell, director and former chair of Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG).

With the funding from ADF and SPG, the nine projects total $4.8 million in funding. The research projects involve crops such as chickpeas, peas and dry beans, said the SPG release.

“These projects are all focused on things that are really important to pulse crop growers. We're looking at investing in chickpea breeding, looking at new chickpea cultivars and investing in dry bean breeding. We also have some investments in pea breeding for peas with root rot resistance,” Blackwell told Farms.com.

Additional funders of the nine projects include Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission, Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, Alberta Wheat Commission, Manitoba Crop Alliance and Western Grains Research Foundation.