Agriculture and Forestry’s field crop development centre will now be housed at Olds College, leveraging research capacity and creating new teaching opportunities.

An initial $10.5-million grant over three years will fund the program at Olds College. The college will take ownership of the program, providing it the capacity to support more world-leading research.

Alberta’s barley breeding program has successfully developed and introduced several new varieties of barley to both domestic and international markets. Some examples include:

• AB Advantage, AB Wrangler and AB Tofield, and a highly sought after (but yet unnamed) variety, which are for feeding domestic livestock
• AB Lowe and AB Brewnet, which are now used for the growing craft brewing market

Quick facts

• The Barley/Triticale Research Program comprises breeding, pathology and biotechnology activities in relation to barley and triticale.
• Agriculture and Forestry has reached a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to transition its Barley/Triticale Research Program to Olds College.