U of G researchers receive CFI grants to advance sustainable agri-food solutions

Experts in the School of Engineering, Department of Plant Agriculture and Department of Animal Biosciences are leading some of the fifteen University of Guelph research projects awarded funding by the federal government.  

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) will fund the projects through its John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF), which helps universities recruit and retain outstanding faculty. It also provides researchers with the critical infrastructure required for their studies. 

• Dr. Guneet Kaur and Dr. Ashutosh Singh in the School of Engineering will receive $126,837 to develop robust and scalable solutions for the conversion of agricultural biomass – the organic waste from the agri-food sector – into bio-based consumer products. Their research will help to spur innovations in clean technologies in the bio-industry and agri-bio sectors and, as these products are made from agri-food waste, help Canada meet its emission targets.
• Dr. Kimberley Schneider, Department of Plant Agriculture, will receive $114,492 to study how managing grasslands can help to sequester carbon in Canada. This research will explore the impacts that agricultural practices, such as grazing management and fertilizer additions, have on the ability of pastures to sequester carbon in Ontario. Knowledge from this study will provide a more holistic picture of the environmental and economic impact of forage and service crops. It will help develop best management practices to optimize these outcomes and support the agricultural sector’s contributions to greenhouse gas reductions.
• Dr. Lee-Anne Huber, with Dr. Jennifer Ellis and Dr. Elijah Kiarie, Department of Animal Biosciences, has been awarded $100,000 to analyze the greenhouse gases (GHG) associated with the production of meat products, which could help inform federal environmental agriculture policies. Researchers aim to quantify GHGs and explore strategies to minimize the environmental emissions per kilogram of Canadian pork and poultry.

Read more about what U of G experts will study with $1.4 million in awards: U of G Researchers Receive Funding to Study Youth Mental Health, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Brain Cancer, More - U of G News