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The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is excited to announce the launch of its bilingual website, with the addition of www.BeefResearch.ca/fr, for French-Canadian beef cattle and forage producers. It was developed thanks to funding through Canada’s Beef and Forage AgriScience Cluster (2023-2028), announced in July 2023, as an initiative under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Craig Lehr, BCRC chair and a producer with a backgrounding feedlot and cow-calf operation in Alberta, recognizes the importance of making relevant and practical science-based information easily accessible to all farmers and ranchers.
BCRC Chair Craig Lehr
“BeefResearch.ca/fr is a continuation of the BCRC’s work to extend the latest beef, cattle and forage research and deliver resources that support producers across Canada to make informed decisions on farm,” says Lehr. “This website is an example of the opportunities provided by the research allocation of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off and the current Beef and Forage AgriScience Cluster, which helps to drive environmental, economic and social sustainability in Canada’s beef sector.”
The new bilingual toggle function on the website offers a selection of pertinent and popular content that is available on the original BeefResearch.ca. Input from industry colleagues and website traffic by users in French-speaking regions determined which content to make available in both languages. More relevant content will be added to BeefResearch.ca/fr semi-annually through the duration of the 2023-2028 AgriScience Cluster.
BCRC Vice Chair Ron Stevenson
“This website is another valuable tool Canadian beef producers can use to access the latest research and economic-based information that could help them reduce risks and increase productivity and profitability on their operations,” says BCRC vice chair and Ontario cow-calf producer Ron Stevenson. “Producers who speak either of Canada’s official languages now will find practical articles, fact sheets and interactive calculators at their fingertips.”
Research and extension projects funded through the AgriScience Cluster benefits farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers and consumers, as well as the broader Canadian population. It drives research and technology transfer that supports producer profitability with on-farm improvements in things like animal health and performance, feed production and efficient feed use so Canada’s beef producers can continue to supply high-quality, nutrient-dense protein.
Sharing or reprinting BCRC posts is welcome and encouraged. Please credit the Beef Cattle Research Council, provide the website address, www.BeefResearch.ca, and let us know you have chosen to share the article by emailing us at info@beefresearch.ca.
The BCRC is funded by a portion of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off.
Your questions, comments and suggestions are welcome. Contact us directly or spark a public discussion by posting your thoughts below.
$12 Million Federal Investment to Drive Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability in Canada’s Beef Sector
(l to r) Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and BCRC Chair Craig Lehr announce new funding
CALGARY, July 12, 2023 – The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is welcoming more than $12 million in funding from the Government of Canada for Canada’s Beef and Forage AgriScience Cluster under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership – AgriScience Program. Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, made the funding announcement today while attending the Calgary Stampede.
The AgriScience Cluster funding will bolster the Canadian beef sector’s environmental and economic sustainability and resilience as the sector adapts to changing climates and evolving marketplaces. This investment will support sector goals to meet the Government of Canada’s greenhouse gas reduction targets by reducing emission intensity, sequestering additional carbon and maintaining native grasslands in the care of Canadian beef producers.
“The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of Canadian beef,” said Parliamentary Secretary Drouin. “Today’s announcement will help contribute to the continued success of the industry, while keeping it strong and resilient for the future. The results from these innovation, research and technology activities will transform into real results on farms.”
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-FoodFrancis Drouin
BCRC Chair Craig Lehr, Alberta
Alberta beef producer and BCRC Chair Craig Lehr said the results from this AgriScience Cluster will benefit farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers and consumers, as well as the broader Canadian population.
“The demand for beef is expected to grow by 10 percent in the next 10 years and, with one of the lowest environmental footprints for beef production in the world, Canadian producers are well-positioned to responsibly meet growing global beef demand,” Lehr said. “Canada’s Beef and Forage AgriScience Cluster drives research and technology transfer that supports producer profitability with on-farm improvements in things like animal health and performance, feed production and efficient feed use so we can continue to supply high-quality, nutrient-dense protein.”
Canada’s beef industry will contribute more than $9.6 million, primarily through the research allocation of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off, bringing the total AgriScience Cluster investment to more than $21.7 million. BCRC Vice Chair Ron Stevenson, a beef producer from Ontario, said this AgriScience Cluster builds on the success of three previous Beef Science Clusters.
BCRC Vice Chair Ron Stevenson, Ontario
“The Science Clusters recognize the beef sector’s determined leadership and encourage producers in their pursuits of innovation and ingenuity,” Stevenson said. “The Cluster will help the Canadian beef industry realize its tremendous opportunity to increase production and exports while ensuring the maintenance of soil health, water quality, air quality and biodiversity.”
Twenty-three projects will be funded between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2028, under three themes: climate change and environment; economic growth and development, and sector resilience and societal challenge. The balanced research portfolio, led by respected scientists through collaborative arrangements between academia, government and industry, will work to achieve objectives with the greatest potential to advance the Canadian beef sector. Some projects will explore improved diagnostic tests and vaccines to manage cattle diseases, new forages that can thrive across Canada and food safety technologies in beef processing facilities that reduce water and energy use, while others will develop practical, science-based resources and economic decision-making tools for the industry.
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For further information, contact:
Tracy Herbert Extension and Communications Director Beef Cattle Research Council C: 306-850-5026, herbertt@beefresearch.ca
Sharing or reprinting BCRC posts is welcome and encouraged. Please credit the Beef Cattle Research Council, provide the website address, www.BeefResearch.ca, and let us know you have chosen to share the article by emailing us at info@beefresearch.ca.
The BCRC is funded by a portion of the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off.
Your questions, comments and suggestions are welcome. Contact us directly or spark a public discussion by posting your thoughts below.
