VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA — Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture announced on Dec. 22 that the province is receiving C$2.5 million for 27 new projects supporting trial crops and the development of new agricultural products and practices.

BC Grain Producers Association received funding for several projects including:

• C$122,796 to demonstrate the benefits of newly registered plant genetics. This project will provide local seed growers with the opportunity to produce new seed varieties and supply future commercial demand.
• C$49,117 to determine if winter wheat can survive in northern climates with the goal of providing northern producers with a selection of wheat varieties to meet future demand.
• C$73,677 to collect data on the effects of canola and wheat seeding rates on maturity and yield.
• C$49,117 to explore lentils as a potential new crop for the Peace region. Results from the project will determine if lentil farming is viable in the area.
• C$24,558 to explore a potential quinoa crop for the Peace River region. The project will determine the feasibility of growing quinoa in the region.
• C$73,677 to explore flax as a commercial crop for producers in the Peace River region.
• C$49,117 to work with plant breeders to produce different varieties of wheat, barley and oats with improved yield and maturity traits for the Peace River region.
• C$49,117 to study new pea varieties for the Peace River Region that can consistently be harvested before September.

Earth Renu Energy Corp. received C$45,875 to develop a potassium phosphate fertilizer using the by-products of converting used cooking oil to biodiesel. This technology can assist with the disposal and conversion of organic wastes to both energy and fertilizer to grow new crops.

The funding comes from the governments of Canada and British Columbia's Growing Forward 2 agreement which provides up to C$13.4 million between 2013 and 2018 through the Canada-B.C. Agri-Innovation Program. Projects funded through the program must have the potential to lead to the commercialization and/or adoption of innovative products, technologies and practices. So far 63 projects have shared more than C$5.8 million in funding.