Research funding will help determine what grains will stand up in changing climate

Grain farmers in the Maritimes received a boost Thursday from federal and provincial governments as they deal with changing growing conditions in the region.

In an announcement in Charlottetown, representatives of both levels of government said the Atlantic Grains Council is getting $4.3 million over the next five years to support research in the region.

Council chair Roy Culberson said the dump of rain from the remnants of Beryl landing in the Maritimes Thursday is a good example of what grain farmers are having to contend with.

"We have no control over that, but the research we do will help us with grains that will stand up in that type of weather," said Culberson.

"Which does the best in our area? That's why this research is so important for us, because it's here. It's here in Atlantic Canada, and we get first-hand reports on what we do here."

Research from other regions can help, he said, but there is no replacement for putting a seed in the ground where you want it to grow and seeing how it does.

The Maritime provinces will contribute $1.25 million to the $4.3 million total.

Malpeque MP Heath MacDonald said research is important to keep up with change.

"It's to deal with the ever-changing climate that we're seeing across the country and in our Atlantic region," said MacDonald.

"We need to incorporate science into everything we do now, because of climate change."

While not as big a money maker as potatoes, grain is an important crop grown in rotation, building up the soil and preventing erosion.

Potato farmers and grain farmers are, for the most part, the same people, so support for grain farming is support for crop farmers in general.