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Canadian Government’s $5.9 million research grant includes drainage practices

This week, the Government of Canada announced that it would provide up to $5.9 million for on-farm research activities. Under the project, farmers and scientists will work together to develop new technologies and best practice for environmental management.

The Living Lab-Eastern Prairies project has been laughed throughout the last year and includes farms within the Upper Oak Lake, Swan Lake, North Shannon Creek and Main Drain watersheds.

Among the key research topics is developing better tile draining practices, as well as developing new approaches to preventing nutrient, water and habitat losses in the Eastern Prairies. Practices developed under this initiatives are intended to help Manitoban farmers be prepared for climate change while also addressing water quality and soil conservation.

Farmers currently participating in the research are already working on a variety of projects including the construction of small wetland retention ponds.

The initiative is part of a $70 million overall investment outlined in the 2017 budget to further support agricultural discovery science and innovation, with a focus on climate change and soil and water conservation. Of this week’s $5.9 million in funding, $2.4 million will go to the Manitoba Association of Watersheds to implement various activities; $3.5 million will be used to fund the work of federal scientists supporting the project.