$4.5M in federal funding for new 'living lab' on-farm research projects

The federal government has announced $4.5 million in funding for a new P.E.I. "living lab" the four-year-old program that bringstogether farmers, scientists and others to do on-farm research.

The initiative has brought research projects to more than 125 farms across the Island. Itfocusedinitially on farming best practices, but the program is now pivoting to climate change research.

Lawrence MacAulay, who is bothfederal agriculture minister and an Island MP, said the lab will drive innovation while helping Canada's net-zero emission goals.

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The labs can help farmers boost crop yields, too, he said.

"All farmers and ranchers are business people, they're big business people, and if they can see there's a way to save money or make more money, that's what they will do."

The East Prince Agri-Environment Association, a not-for-profit organization representing multiple Island farms, will lead the new projects. The association was the first in Canada to pilot a Living Labs program.

Seaweed for cattle

The $4.5 million over five years will be used for research meant to help store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on Island farms, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in a news release.

Researchers will study practices likeadding kelp to cattle diets, rotational grazingand installing edge-of-field wetlands.

To this point, the Living Labs researchhadincluded projects around water management, fertilizer use, and soil and nutrient conservation. They've helped reduce the need for irrigation and come up with best practices for cover crops.

Scott Anderson of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said in April that the project had been rewarding.

"Mostly because it really gave us that chance to work closely with producers, and to have them involved right from the beginning, to increase the speed of adoption of these practices."

He said Living Labshadbrought together farmers and researchers in a new way.

"The scientists were a little scared to go deal with the producers more closely, and the producers had sort of an apprehension as well," Anderson said.

"But at the end of the day, just knocking down that barrier and having that relationship built I think has done wonders."