RDAR Delivers Multi-Million Dollar Investment to make One Health Solutions A Reality

RDAR, a leading driver of results-driven agriculture research in Canada, and Genome Alberta are pleased to announce the approval of approximately $3.3 million in funding for several important One Health projects. One Health recognizes the intrinsic link between the health of people, animals, and the environment. This approach is essential for anticipating, preventing, detecting, and controlling diseases that spread between plants, animals, and humans.
This funding is provided, in part, by the federal and provincial governments under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). The One Health research projects focus on diseases and health threats, such as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) vaccines and noninvasive testing, feral pig control and disease monitoring, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in dairy and beef cattle, swine, and poultry.

The projects approved for funding include:

University of Calgary researchers will receive $1.2 million for: “Design omics-informed vaccines and live tests for chronic wasting disease management” and $589,650 for: “Developing an antimicrobial resistance surveillance program for bulk tank milk.” *

University of Alberta researchers will receive a $598,370 investment to investigate: “Metabolic modeling to create competitive exclusion communities that control poultry pathogens and antimicrobial resistance.” *

University of Saskatchewan researchers will apply an investment of $494,500 to investigate: “An alternative: Streptococcus zooepidemicus vaccine to reduce antimicrobial usage and mortality”; and $165,000 into “Improving traceability of free-ranging and domestic wild boar in Alberta and the Canadian prairies.” *

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Lethbridge) researchers have been awarded $250,000 to: “Develop a bacterial probiotic to enhance respiratory health of cattle and reduce feedlot antimicrobial use and resistance.”

The federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, commented: “Investments in research are essential to the long-term success of our farmers and ranchers. I have no doubt that these important initiatives will help improve the health of people, animals, and the environment and make Alberta’s world-class agricultural sector even stronger.”