NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Genome Canada announced today a C$93 million (US$71.6 million) investment in 11 new genomics research projects related to Canadian agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture.
The funding, which is provided under Genome Canada’s 2014 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition called Genomics and Feeding the Future, are each valued at between C$5 million and C$10 million, the organization said.
The Canadian government is contributing a total of C$30.8 million through Genome Canada, with C$5 million coming from the Western Grains Research Foundation, and C$57.2 million from partners including provincial governments, the private sector, and non-profit organizations.
"Our government is committed to moving ideas from the lab to the marketplace more quickly, strengthening Canada's economy while creating jobs for Canadians," Gerry Ritz, Canada's minister of agriculture and agri-food, said in a statement. "Today's investment will harness Canada's strength in genomics research to provide a boost to our agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture industries in Saskatchewan and across Canada in order to compete and win in the global marketplace."
Among the award recipients are the University of Saskatchewan, which is receiving C$8.5 million to fund the Canadian Triticum Applied Genomics team's wheat genome research, and C$15.5 million to support the work of other of its academic groups developing medicines for livestock diseases and breeding heartier lentil varieties.