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BCRC and CCA Statement on Funding for Federal Scientists at University of Guelph
PUBLIC STATEMENT
The Beef Cattle Research Council and Canadian Cattle Association are pleased with the recent announcement that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will fund the salaries of Dr. Óscar López-Campos and Dr. Nuria Prieto at the University of Guelph for a two-year period. This funding will help reinvigorate the University’s meat science program, maintain ongoing industry research and provide valuable training opportunities for students and future beef researchers.
This was one of the key requests made by the CCA and BCRC when the AAFC cuts were announced in late January, and we acknowledge the efforts made by the University, AAFC and Drs. López-Campos and Prieto to achieve this result.
Dr. Óscar López-Campos has led industry efforts to continuously improve beef carcass grading technology, as well as the recent harmonization of the Canadian and U.S. yield grades. He is also well-known and respected for engaging young producers with the importance of carcass merit through annual 4-H club competitions in Alberta.
Dr. Nuria Prieto’s expertise in evaluating beef tenderness, flavour and juiciness is critical in evaluating how changes to beef cattle diets and production systems impact consumer acceptability, as well as in comparing the eating quality of Canadian beef to those of our international competitors.
“While the funding announcement is positive for the Canadian beef industry, it is important to note that AAFC’s salary support is for a two-year period,” says CCA President Tyler Fulton. “We strongly support the University’s ongoing efforts to build the case to make these permanent faculty positions within the Ontario Agriculture College.”
This move follows the closure of AAFC’s Lacombe Research and Development Centre this past January. That closure was part of government-wide agriculture research closures and cuts. The work done at Lacombe by Drs. López-Campos and Prieto was the only beef carcass quality and meat science research program in Canada.
The Lacombe Research Centre compiled an immense amount of carcass composition and beef quality data and technologies over its history. Transitioning this crucial data and equipment from Lacombe to Guelph would ensure past expenditures by industry and taxpayers to Lacombe are not lost and would continue to deliver value while simultaneously building on and benefitting from past research at the University of Guelph. The loss of either resource would be detrimental to Canadian beef and cattle competitiveness.
Canada’s beef industry will continue to support and work to strengthen research at AAFC’s remaining facilities as well as universities in the interests of strengthening the continued competitiveness and sustainability of Canadian cattle and beef.
Tina Zakowsky Communications Manager Canadian Cattle Association 403-451-0931 | [email protected]
Laura Monchuk Communications Specialist Beef Cattle Research Council monchukl@beefresearch4
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The BCRC is funded by a portion of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off.
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