CORD Funding Renewal a Must-Have

As producers head to the fields this Spring, many will be benefitting from years of publicly funded research that has combined producer funds with money provided by the Canada-Ontario Research and Development (CORD) Program.

CORD has been one of the more reliable federal funding programs that has provided value year after year to Ontario corn producers and others. previously funded through the Science and Innovation pillar of the Agricultural Policy Framework, it was considered “wedge” funding that went a long
way to contributing to the research needs of the agriculture and agri-food industry, specifically crop producers. When the federal government introduced its proposed Growing Forward suite of programs, there was no fit for CORD. As we head into another growing season – an important time
for research projects to get underway - there’s still no word what’s going to happen with the federal component.

Long-term planning is essential for crop research in Ontario, particularly since many projects are multi-year endeavors requiring a three- to five-year commitment in consecutive growing seasons to produce meaningful results. CORD’s success is directly attributable to the fact that it complements research efforts funded by producer license fees and is a major resource for innovative field crop research in Ontario. Producer funding wouldn’t pay for half of these projects on its own – that’s why the tag team government-producer partnership is so vital.

With no way of knowing whether those funds will be available for next year, organizations such as OCPA who fund public research initiatives, are faced with the tough task of deciding which projects to cut funding to and which ones are most valuable to Ontario producers. It’s particularly difficult to know which projects will be most beneficial, since usable results aren’t often realized until the projects are well underway, in their third or fourth years.

Recently funded projects – funded jointly through CORD and OCPA – have led to significant gains in weed management, leading to new recommendations on time of day applications, reduced rates and tank mixes, and strategies for handling the increasing Roundup Ready corn acreage. A new online platform for herbicide selection (www.weedpro75.com) was developed with assistance from OCPA and CORD and has helped Ontario farmers be more progressive and productive. A new look at fusarium research, and a proactive approach to the rootworm variant spreading throughout the United States, has also gone a long way in helping our industry. In addition, ongoing improvements to existing tools such as Greg Stewart’s “Nitrogen Calculator” continue to be important contributions to corn research.

The provincial government has responded to our request for a CORD program by announcing a $2.5 million ‘Ontario Research & Development Program,’ to be launched in 2008. The program will be delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council and will be similar to the CORD IV program. This program is intended to partially offset the gap created due to the CORD IV program not being renewed for 2008, with funding being shared among the field crops, horticulture and livestock sectors. Program details are still in development, but it is expected that approximately $185,000 will be available to direct to corn research through this program.

While a step in the right direction, this program will not replace all of the resources that the CORD program made possible. Through the Ontario Field Crop Research Coalition, we have been working hard to make government aware of the importance of research programs such as the CORD IV program.

OCPA is committed to research and has heard from members that it is a high priority to improve economic viability of Ontario corn producers. We are striving to establish long term, stable partnerships with government to fund vitally important research in development of new genetics and hybrids, agronomics, grain handling, and market development.

New projects often build on previous work, and without a smooth transition, significant momentum will be lost. Research and development cannot effectively start and stop. Gaps in research programming costs more than just time – it also affects our ability to retain experienced researchers, like
those who have added so much value to Ontario corn production in the past several decades.