Canada provides research grant to expand wheat market

The government of Canada will give CAD200,000 (US$199,250) to the Ontario Cereal Industry Research Council (OCIRC) to help expand the market for whole wheat and wheat-based foods.

"The government of Canada is helping farmers adapt to a changing marketplace and remain competitive by investing in new innovation that will grow market opportunities," said Bob Dechert, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice. "This investment will help boost the farm gate by developing new wheat varieties that respond to consumer demand for healthy food in Canada and around the world."

The OCIRC will work to identify wheat varieties that have high levels of antioxidants and other beneficial health ingredients, develop new food products using these wheat varieties, and evaluate the health benefits after baking and storing the products. The OCIRC's objective is to advance the knowledge of cereal science and foster innovation to increase the use of cereal grains for value-added processes in Ontario.

"Canada has a world leading, CAD7.6 billion cereal sector, including a full range of wheat grown in Ontario to serve global markets," said Louise Jacques-O'Hare, president of OCIRC. "Having a centre of world class research located at the University of Guelph is fundamental to advance the goal of an innovative cereal processing sector. We appreciate the government's investment to enable the university's research team to make a positive difference to the health and well-being of Canadians."

Funding for this programme is being provided by the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Ontario, the Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) delivers CAAP. The programme is a five-year (2009-2014), CAD163 million national initiative aimed at helping the Canadian agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive.