Research

Alberta AgriSystems Living Lab

ABP is pleased to be leading a project that will benefit Alberta’s beef, forage, and cropping sectors through collaboration, innovation, and research.

In July 2022, The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Then Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced the expansion of Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Labs program, including an initiative led by ABP.

Producer participants (beef, forage, cropping) in the AALL are working directly with researchers to co-develop beneficial management practices (BMPs) to improve productivity, profitability while having a positive impact on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions.

Information from this project will help to ensure that climate focused policy solutions are practical and provide benefits for producers by providing data from real-world situations.

• Key focus areas for BMP development include cropping systems and crop rotations, land use change/transitions, grazing management, livestock feeding, nutrient management, and optimizing carbon storage.
• AALL is examining barriers and incentives to adoption, performing cost of production analyses, developing extension materials/events,  facilitating peer to peer networking, learning and mentorship opportunities, and creating decision-making tools for producers.

National Research Strategy

The Five-Year Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy aims to enhance national coordination of beef research priorities, funding, and technology transfer efforts. It focuses on increasing productivity, reducing production costs, and promoting sustainable practices to support industry competitiveness. The strategy also emphasizes improving beef quality and safety, while fostering innovation and environmental stewardship.

Beef Cattle Research Council

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) is Canada’s national industry-led funding agency for beef, cattle and forage research. The BCRC’s mandate is to determine research and development priorities for the Canadian beef cattle industry and to administer Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off funds allocated to research.

The BCRC hosts an incredible resource library, including free interactive calculators, and the latest in production research.

Agriculture Funding Consortium

Alberta Beef Producers participates in the Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC), which is a collaborative body of agricultural organizations. AFC provides coordinated funding for research and innovation in Western Canada’s agriculture and food industry. It aims to support sustainability, diversification, and long-term growth by stimulating private and public sector participation. Each member organization within the AFC establishes its own research priorities and investment mandates.