ABOUT BFRIC
Beef & Forage Research in Canada (BFRIC) is
a multi-tasked project to contact, collect, organize, document
and post a comprehensive collection of institutions, organizations,
research facilities, researchers and related studies within the
area of beef and forage research. This project is focused on past
and current programs and projects across all Canadian provinces
and institutions with the capacity to conduct beef or forage research.
The Beef and Forage Research in Canada (BFRIC)
database was developed in response to a tremendous need within
the beef and forage industry in Canada to better document and
categorize existing and ongoing research across the country. Currently
there are databases and websites which are non-comprehensive or
fail to include all researchers, instituitions or projects relating
to beef and forage. This project is an attempt to resolve this
issue and provide support for the following reasons:
1. THE POTENTIAL FOR DUPLICATION OF RESEARCH AMONG CANADIAN
SCIENTISTS
New programs and research projects would involve increased
collaboration between institutions bringing more value for research
dollars spent and adding more potential ecomonic value to the
beef industry.
2. PRODUCERS AND INDUSTRY ARE OFTEN NOT AWARE OF RESEARCH
RESULTS, WHICH MAY BE APPLICABLE TO THEIR OPERATIONS OR MANAGEMENT
DECISIONS.
This puts Canadian beef and forage producers at a disadvantage
because of the slow uptake or absorption of new technologies and
practices coming from recent research. This is then reflected
in reduced economic performance of Canadian beef and forage producers
compared to other countries. Technology transfer is key to integration
of the latest research outputs within the beef and forage industries.
Producers will have access to information otherwise unattainable
in journals and publications.
3. CANADIAN FUNDING AGENCIES ARE UNSURE IF REQUESTS FOR
FUNDING FOR RESEARCH ARE ADDRESSING ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS PRIORITIZED
BY THE BEEF INDUSTRY.
Beef research funding agencies will be informed and able to
review current research activities in all related beef research
areas. Projects will be funded which focus on allowing Canadian
beef producers to be competitive internationally.
4. FINALLY, EXTENSION PERSONNEL ARE ALSO UNAWARE OF RESEARCH
THAT MAY BE APPLICABLE TO THEIR CLIENTS.
Extension staff with provincial and government agencies across
Canada can gather timely information on the many disciplines within
the beef and forage research community. Extension, transfer and
integration of research results at the producer level will support
Canadian producers in the annual management of their operations.
Beef and Forage Research in Canada was developed with
the cooperation of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA),
Canadian Agri-Food Council (CARC) and the Inventory of Canadian
Agri-Food Research (ICAR) and the many institutions and beef producer
organizations across Canada. Appreciation is expressed to the
Beef Cattle Research Council for support and funding.
Dr. Bart Lardner, Ph.D. P.Ag.
Western Beef Development Centre
September 2004
and the Beef Cattle Research Council
