CANADIAN FARM ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOUNDATION FONDATION CANADLENNE DES RESSOURCES GENETIQUES DES ANIMAUX DE FERME

OVERVIEW

     The Canadian Farm Animal Genetic Resources Foundation was founded in 1996 with it’s mission to support the conservation of farm animal genetic resources and assure there is an adequate reservoir of bio-diversity for future needs.

The objectives of the Foundation are:

• To support the application of science as a means to develop techniques for long term conservation of animal genetic resources.
• To ensure Canada has access to annually revised inventories by species, in order that those in endangered population size are immediately identified.
• Through a national network institute emergency response actions to ensure endangered farm animal genetic resources are rescued.
• Encourage participation of the agricultural community and other interested parties in physically housing some endangered species until a scientific method (such as D.N.A.) can be vouched safe.
• Through literature and public relations at conferences to acquaint the agricultural and urban populations of the importance of bio-diversity in farm animal genetic resources as an integral contributor to the human food chain and to human medical requirements.

The Foundation has Directors and a Network of supporters from universities, government, and industry throughout Canada.

     Several projects are being initiated to meet the above objectives. These include a through review of existing capabilities to conserve poultry and animal stocks in Canada and a current inventory of breeds of poultry, beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, swine, and aquaculture stocks. The Foundation is initiating a Communication Plan encompassing a Web-Site, an education program, a newsletter, and periodicals on reproductive technologies and their use in Canada.

     Annual Canadian agricultural receipts approximate 30 billion dollars. This is derived on average-55% from livestock and 45% from plants , year by year. Government has wisely invested in a state- of- the -art institute in Saskatoon for Plant Conservancy, where a permanent professional and technical staff work to rejuvenate and characterize the 110,000 seed sample collection.

     Nothing similar for the larger revenue earning livestock sector is covered by a government plan supported by a budget of any kind. In fact, the Research Branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for 2000-2001 perpetuates the bias in favour of plants, with 47% allocated to plants against 10% for animals.

     A mission of the Foundation is to ensure this investment imbalance does not persist. The livestock sector cannot mount an effective national Conservancy program without support.

P.O. Box 610 (civic: 20 Corporate Place) Brantford, ON, Canada, N3T 5R4
Telephone (519) 756-8300 ext. 211    Fax (519) 756-5878     E-mail bmuir@holstein.ca
Registered Charity: Revenue Canada Tax Number 89725 0340 RR 0001

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