CPRC Update – December 2012

CPRC has committed more than $2.7 million to poultry research funding over the last decade and the total value of research that CPRC has helped support is in excess of $13 million. While the CPRC does not contribute to all poultry research conducted in Canada, it is interesting to look at other research funding sources that have supported CPRC-funded projects. The table below summarizes per cent of funds provided by type of funding source.

Federal government funds are provided by a variety of departments and agencies, including Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and other agencies that provide research in specific areas such as animal and public health.

Provincial governments funds are generally provided through research-related programs by departments of agriculture or agencies established by provinces to further research and innovation. They frequently work with provincial poultry industry organizations to fund research, a series of collaborations not reflected in the table.

The value of funding from universities is not fully reflected in the table because in-kind contributions of staff researchers and technicians and the use of research facilities, including such things as poultry housing and laboratories, is not included in the research totals.

Corporations represent important partners in the Canadian poultry research system because they help conduct and support substantial research each year that benefits the Canadian poultry value chain. In addition to funds, they provide expertise through in-house research activities and knowledge of issues important to producers. Some of the corporations aiding in CPRC co-funded projects are suppliers covering a range of inputs that includes genetics, chicks, animal health products, feed and feed additives. Others process poultry products.

Industry organizations, which include national and provincial organizations that represent poultry producers and other poultry industry stakeholders, are becoming an increasingly important part of the poultry research system. Many industry organizations support significant poultry research activities, including projects and research chairs, as a supplement to CPRC funding.

Governments increasingly look to industry representatives to establish research priorities and work with researchers to ensure that projects reflect the issues that are important to industry. The National Research Strategy for Canada’s Poultry Sector (available at www.cp-rc.ca) provides a comprehensive discussion of industry research priorities and was developed in consultation with industry representative organizations and researchers through conferences and discussion. Industry organizations will review and update the Research Strategy on a regular basis to ensure it continues to reflect Canadian poultry industry priorities.

Governments are also looking to industry to play a larger role in research funding. The increasing demand for research related to the Canadian and global food system creates challenges for industry to invest more funds if research goals are to be met. A common practice of government funding organizations is to make their approval conditional upon industry also committing funds to support the project. This approach helps to ensure that proposed research is important to industry and reflects industry goals.

Canadian poultry research depends on a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that research goals are achieved. The CPRC has been fortunate to co-operate on funding with a wide range of funders including several federal government departments, six provincial governments, eight poultry industry corporations and six provincial poultry organizations. These funding partners are in addition to CPRC’s five Member Organizations representing poultry stakeholders at the national level, which provide significant resources and expertise to CPRC’s support of Canadian poultry research.

For more details on these or any other CPRC activities, please contact The Canadian Poultry Research Council, 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1007, Ottawa, Ontario K1R 7S8, phone: 613-566-5916, fax: 613-241-5999, e-mail: info@cp-rc.ca, or visit us at www.cp-rc.ca.

The membership of the CPRC consists of Chicken Farmers of Canada, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers, Turkey Farmers of Canada, Egg Farmers of Canada, and the Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors’ Council.