Feds feed Canadian beef industry with $4M investment
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Funds will support three R&D projects that aim to boost exports, efficiency
The ministry’s $4 million investment will support three research projects, including one that images carcasses to predict the quality of the meat. PHOTO: Jennifer Campbell, via Wikimedia Commons
OTTAWA—Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is looking to give the Canadian beef industry a leg up both at home and abroad.
The ministry has announced it will direct $4 million to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) for three separate research projects.
“Innovation drives continuous improvement in the beef industry and funding forward-thinking projects like these ensures continued progress in key areas of sustainable production, quality, and business risk management to the benefit of the entire value chain, including consumers,” CCA president, Dave Solverson, said.
The ministry plans to invest the majority of the funds—$2.6 million—toward developing tools to help meat packers and consumers receive better information about their beef.
Along with that investment, $380,834 of the $4 million will going toward a feasibility study that tests the use of satellite-based technology to track forage and pasture production for cattle producers.
Finally, a $1,045,510 investment under Agrilnnovation’s Research and Development Stream will look to enhance the quality of Canadian beef by using a Computer Vision System. The technology takes images of cow carcasses to predict and measure the meat’s tenderness, dark cutting, lean yield, bruising, and fat colour.
