The Ontario government is celebrating the opening of the Ontario Beef Research Centre in Elora which will give Ontario’s 6,800 beef farms access to the latest technologies and findings on health, welfare and production. Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs was joined by representatives of Beef Farmers of Ontario, the University of Guelph and the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario to commemorate the opening of this beef research and innovation centre.
“Our government is investing in beef research to help discover the latest beef farming technologies so that we can share this information with farmers which will allow them to adopt new practices to stay competitive,” said Hardeman. “When Ontario farmers adopt the latest science-based practices, they become more efficient, sustainable and profitable.”
The new centre supports research related to animal welfare, reproduction and nutrition as well as meat quality and safety. Research results will be commercialized or shared with beef farmers to be adopted to make animal and production practices more efficient, safer and healthier.
“The new state-of-the-art Ontario Beef Research Centre will play a vital role in contributing to the long-term strength and success of Ontario’s beef industry and the broader economy it supports,” said Joe Hill, Beef Farmers of Ontario President. “We are extremely appreciative of the collaboration and investments made by Ontario beef farmers, the provincial and federal governments, and the University of Guelph to support beef research in the province.”
“The University of Guelph is committed to working with government and industry partners to advance the competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability of Ontario’s beef sector through world-class research and innovation,” said Malcolm Campbell, Vice-President (Research) at the University of Guelph. “This new, state-of-the-art facility will open new frontiers for agricultural research and elevate livestock farming to even greater heights.”
“We are proud to work with partners to modernize livestock research infrastructure in Elora to enhance the competitiveness, prosperity and sustainability of Ontario’s agricultural and food sectors and rural communities,” said Lorne Hepworth, Chair of the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario.
Quick Facts
- The new research centre is a partnership between the Government of Ontario through the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO), the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) and the University of Guelph and reflects an investment of about $12.5 million from the Ontario government and more than $3 million from the BFO.
- The centre contains two 5,530-square-metre research barns, handling facilities and offices and 200 acres of land to produce feed. The new centre will house around 750 cattle, which doubles its current livestock capacity. To upgrade and expand feed storage capacity at Elora, ARIO will also invest in feed bunker silos.
- The beef centre is adjacent to the Ontario Dairy Research Centre and the soon-to-be constructed Ontario Swine Research Centre at the Elora Research Station.
