Canadian Feed Research Centre officially opened

The CFRC will research, develop and commercialise new and better high-value animal feeds from low-value crops and co-products from bioprocessing and biofuels industries. In 2009, the Canadian Feed Research Centre came to fruition through a cooperative effort that included the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and Western Diversification, which made contributions to build the $13.85 million Centre.

“The University of Saskatchewan’s new CFRC provides an important resource that offers a broad range of research scale capabilities – from laboratory, to pilot plant, to industry-scale research – which is a major advantage in attracting commercialization and enhancing the competitiveness of our customers,” said Jennifer Henderson, Managing Director of Cargill Animal Nutrition’s compound feed business in Western Canada. “The University and Cargill have a longstanding partnership around common goals such as investment in research, the development of youth, and community investment.”

The 15,650-square-feet of renovated Innovation Centre space will employ four to eight research and development professionals that many years of experience between them. The Centre is the first of its kind in North America to install new seed-sorting technology that promises to maximize value, quality and safety. The innovation centre will also work closely with several other industry partners such as premix, additive and equipment suppliers, commodity groups, feed mills and livestock organisations.

“Feed accounts for 60 to 70% of the production costs of animal protein such as meat, milk and eggs,” said Tom Scott, University of Saskatchewan research chair in feed processing technology. “The Centre will use processing and feed additives to improve conversion of low-quality and highly variable ingredients, such as feed grain or co-products of bioprocessing, ultimately resulting in safe, high-quality human food consistently and sustainably.”

In the past five years, Cargill’s capital investments in Saskatchewan exceeded $116 million. In addition to special contributions such as this one to the University of Saskatchewan, the company’s Cargill Cares Council donates annually to organizations throughout the province that focus on food security and nutrition, education and environmental stewardship.