Industry News

In 1995, federal Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief decided that agriculture and the rural community needed a mechanism to adapt to the new economy, an outlet to showcase and support innovation and value-added initiatives. Six year later, the Agricultural Adapation Council (AAC) is a major success story on how farmers can work with their producer colleagues and the agri-food industry to support 21st century projects and work to remove barriers through research, market development and human resource development.

Due to its success, during the past six years the AAC has expanded its activities beyond the original CanAdapt program, funded through the Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) fund of the federal government. The AAC has administered a small projects initiative, Ontario’s share of the National Soil and Water Conservation Program/Agricultural Environmental Stewardship Initiative and the Canada-Ontario Research and Development Program.

“The programs have provided benefits for a broad range of projects encompassing the entire agriculture and rural communities,” said Murray Porteous, recently re-elected to a second term as chair of the AAC. “I have personally enjoyed the diversity of the commodities and sectors involved, and the harmony everyone has shown in working for a common purpose. Another big advantage has been the flexibility in applying the programs within the mandate.”

Since its incorporation in December, 1995, the AAC has approved funding for approximately 1,000 projects at a cost of $70 million. Projects have addressed needs in food safety and quality; environmental sustainability; marketing and competitiveness; and human resources and rural development. Porteous agrees with statements by Agriculture Minister Vanclief that AAC is perfectly positioned to help address many of the objectives set out in the new Agricultural Policy Framework being developed by the federal government.

“There is no doubt that the AAC has played an important role in supporting crucial projects for corn producers,” said Bob Down, representing grain and oilseed producers on the AAC board of directors. “The corn-based projects have resulted in advances in research which would have taken significantly longer to achieve.”

Projects involving CanAdapt funding for OCPA/corn research include:
• Zone tillage systems for corn in Ontario (heavier textured soils)
• Assessing N requirements in corn: a multi-scale approach to site-specific N management
• Nitrogen research database and N benchmarking
• Fusarium resistance and genetic improvement in Ontario corn through biotechnology
• Cold tolerance in corn during grain-filling
• Producing high quality food grade corn in Ontario

Other projects that support corn producers include:
• Crop-based indicators for monitoring spatial variability and corn nitrogen management
• Integrated management of Fusarium toxins in wheat and corn in Ontario

The AAC’s 18-member board of directors represents all major agricultural and rural community sectors, plus both levels of government. Bob Down, Ontario Corn Producers’ Association and Kim Turnbull, Ontario Soybean Growers, represent the grain and oilseeds sector on the board.