Farm Credit Canada makes investment in the future of agriculture

Marty Seymour, FCC’s director of industry and stakeholder relations, said that FCC was eager to support the project, knowing the positive effects the centre will have not only on the cattle and forage industries, but on students who will have access to the most advanced facilities and best practices.

“We are proud to invest in projects that support agriculture research and enhance the student experience. This will also help attract the best and the brightest into pursuing an education and future career in agriculture.”

FCC has been supporting agricultural initiatives at the University of Saskatchewan for more than 30 years. The organizataion has supported student awards, helped to fund the construction of the Rayner Dairy Research and Teaching Facility, and recently provided the necessary funds to refurbish a study area for agriculture students.

Mary Buhr, dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan, said the support of donors like FCC has been crucial in helping bring the vision of the LFCE to reality.

“When we brought forward the LFCE initiative to Farm Credit Canada, they recognized the potential of these facilities and this centre to benefit the cattle and forage industries, to advance research, to help producers gain access to new innovation and to provide the human capacity and leadership that our industry needs,” Buhr said. “We are grateful for their support.”

FCC’s donation will go toward construction of the livestock and food building at the Clavet site. The building will include a meeting room and handling facilities that will be equipped with real-time video capability, allowing LFCE representatives to conduct in-house and distance education and outreach activities.

Two new facilities for the LFCE are expected to be completed in the spring of 2018 and will complement current livestock and forage research sites. The LFCE, which will cost $36 million, is a partnership between the U of S, the livestock and forage industries, and the Saskatchewan and federal governments. It will unite livestock and forage field laboratories and science labs in a collaborative centre.

To learn more about the project, visit usask.ca/lfce