Agri-ARM Program Field Days Coming Up Across the Province

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The Agriculture Applied Research Management (Agri-ARM) program, a network of applied research sites focussed on increasing per acre income and provincial gross domestic product from crops, will once again host a series of summer field days.

“Each Agri-ARM site has a tour to view projects that are of interest to producers and industry,” Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Crop Business Section Manager Dr. Larry Gutek said. “Projects are related to production, technology transfer, new varieties and development and processing opportunities for new crops. Quite a range of demonstrations are offered to interested producers.”

There are eight Agri-ARM sites located across the province. Each site has the necessary infrastructure to carry out quality research and demonstration, including a manager responsible for technical issues and an affiliated regional crop development specialist to support technology transfer.

“During the tours, you actually view research projects, and talk with research scientists and industry representatives,” Gutek said. “It is a highly interactive experience.”

Projects may include applied research, in which replicated experiments are used to validate or evaluate data, or demonstrations of new crops, technology and practices. The Agri-ARM program results in knowledge, information products/events, and research and technology transfer services.

“These are all facilities that are engaged in research on a regular basis, although some have more capacity than others in doing replicated experiments, while others are more focused on demonstrations of new crops, technology and practices. There is a broad range of events, and we have good sponsorship from industry as well as from federal research centres at Scott, Melfort, Indian Head and Swift Current.”

Agri-ARM has now completed five field seasons of quality applied research and demonstrations to address emerging crop opportunities. The program is designed to assist Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) in meeting goals focused on developing a thriving, environmentally sustainable and diversified agricultural industry through working with strong, resourceful agricultural people.

In addition to applied research and demonstration, a business incubation component has also been introduced. Project specific funding will be allocated to sites that are fostering new opportunities in agriculture business development.

Dates and contact phone numbers for 2006 Agri-ARM field days follow:

-July 7 - Canola Day at Seager Wheeler Farm in Rosthern - (306) 232-5959
- July 12 - Western Applied Research Corporation at Scott Research Farm - (306) 446-7475
- July 13 - Wheatland Conservation Area at Swift Current - -(306) 778-8285
- July 18 - Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation at Indian Head - (306) 695-4244
- July 20 - South East Research Farm at Redvers - (306) 452-3161
- July 21 - East Central Research Foundation in Canora - (306) 563-5551
- August 1 - Conservation Learning Centre in Prince Albert - (306) 953-2796
- July 19 - Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation in Melfort - (306) 878-8807

For more information, contact:

Larry Gutek
Manager, Crop Business Section
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 933-5568