Construction is under way on the new Ontario Poultry Research Centre in Elora, Ontario, a facility meant to strengthen research for the province's poultry industry. The provincial government has committed more than $24 million through Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO).
The centre will serve more than 1,500 chicken and turkey producers and about 500 egg and pullet farmers. Its research will cover animal welfare, nutrition, reproduction, meat quality, genetics, biosecurity, food safety, flock health and production efficiency.
According to the province, it will have dedicated areas for layers and pullets, broilers and hatcheries, plus specialised and commercial research wings. It is expected to be finished by summer 2028 and to create more than 220 construction jobs.
The project is a partnership between the Ontario government, ARIO, the University of Guelph and the province's four poultry marketing boards: Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Egg Farmers of Ontario, the Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission and Turkey Farmers of Ontario, which are also contributing. It received $250,000 from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership for part of the design phase.
Agriculture Minister Sam Oosterhoff said the investment is meant to help producers deal with current challenges and prepare the sector to grow. Dr Rene Van Acker, president of the University of Guelph, said the centre will connect researchers, producers and industry to develop practical solutions. Industry groups said more research capacity will help with disease prevention, welfare, sustainability and the adoption of new technology.
ARIO owns Ontario's network of agri-food research infrastructure, including 14 research stations covering about 5,600 acres and more than 200 buildings, most of them run by the University of Guelph through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
Photo: Ryan Hodnett / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Source: Farms.com
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