GrainsWest Spring 2017

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Spring 2017 35
occur under the new policy framework either, since there have
already been meetings and consultations about the transition.
“They’re starting a couple years earlier,” he said.
When the clusters originally began, there were some
administrative problems, and different researchers and levels
of government struggled to maintain connections and report
back on projects. However, the bugs in the program have
been fixed, and some of the processes could be further
streamlined in the next cluster, reducing administrative
hurdles.
The new framework is expected to encompass most of
the core activities currently taking place, while providing for
new innovations. There will also be new priorities and a new
direction set forth by the federal government.
“These will be part of the conversation between those
priorities and the needs of producer groups like ourselves,
and commercial entities that will have an opportunity to put
together a cluster that will be a benefit to everyone,” said Law.
The exact specifics of the new policy
framework and AgriInnovation cluster
programs have not been revealed, but
an announcement is expected in either
May or June 2017.
“Not having seen what the program
will consist of, or what the program
pillars will be, we’re working on what
we believe will be the major pillars
that make up the bulk of the next
framework,” said Law.
There have been a number of positive
signs at AAFC, including the hiring of
replacement personnel for scientists
who have retired recently or who are planning to retire, in
order to ensure the transition to the next framework is as
smooth as possible.
The research sector put out a call for letters of intent in
January. The Barley Council of Canada, for example, has
already gathered research proposals from potential funders
for the next cluster. Many of these funders were not included
in the previous cluster, or were not in existence when the
cluster formed. Research priorities have already been
discussed, and funders have met to discuss potential projects,
as well as a national research strategy for barley. Wheat cluster
preparations are also underway, involving all participants in
the current wheat cluster, as well as the Saskatchewan Wheat
Development Commission and the Manitoba Wheat and
Barley Growers Association.
“There are a lot of changes on the management or
administrative side based on how difficult it was for the
managers to manage the clusters this time around,” said Law.
Juskiw has other concerns about the transition to the new
framework and how it could impact ongoing and planned
crop research. “I guess when you transition to a new
framework, you always worry about what the level of funding
and reporting will be, and what the reporting requirements
will be. That’s pretty much administration,” said Juskiw.
“There are always concerns, and we know we need to be
accountable.”
When a new funding framework is on the horizon,
researchers often worry about whether the level of research
funding will be enough to do everything that needs to get
done. However, if the new framework takes into account the
continuous nature of breeding programs, the transition should
not be an issue, according to Juskiw.
The current Liberal government has different priorities
than the previous Conservative government, which was
responsible for Growing Forward 2, and many stakeholders
are expecting those differing priorities to be reflected in the
new program.
During consultations about the new policy framework,
industry stakeholders recommended that the AgriInnovation
program have increased flexibility
for funding recipients when it comes
to allocating money, and increased
transparency and timely decisions in the
project approvals process, said Patrick
Girard, a spokesperson for AAFC, via
email.
The government has conducted
consultations for the next policy
framework, and has identified that
knowledge dissemination and
technology transfer should be a
priority, along with communicating
the results to the industry. In the
next policy framework, federal, provincial and territorial
governments will continue to focus on science, research and
innovation to support the sector, said Girard. The first phase
of consultations began in January 2016 and more than 300
industry groups were involved, while the second phase of
consultations ran between July and November 2016, when
members of the Canadian public were invited to share their
views.
The five-year approach allows research to continue without
any funding gaps. When there are gaps in funding, it can
be detrimental to individual projects, or to entire areas of
research.
As it stands, Patterson said he is satisfied with the
AgriInnovation program in its current iteration and hopes to
see it continue into the next policy framework. So far, all signs
from AAFC seem to indicate that the AgriInnovation program
will remain a fixture of Canadian crop research under the new
framework.
“Federal, provincial and territorial governments are
working hard to develop the next policy framework and have
committed to continuous programming,” said Girard.
“What it has allowed us
to do—which we were
stumbling with or not doing
before—is to use markers in
our breeding program.”
–Pat Juskiw