The Alberta Wheat Commission’s (AWC) research committee is composed of select farmers from our board of directors and regional representatives, and holds the decision-making power for project funding. The research committee is supported by staff including the director of research, the research project manager and the agronomy research extension specialist.
Current farmer members of the AWC research committee include:
- Janine Paly (Chair)
- Jason Lenz (Vice-Chair)
- Jason Saunders
- Dave Bartlett
- Todd Hames
- Devin Hartzler
- Terry Young
- Kendall Freed
- Dean Hubbard
- Jeffrey Pasemko
To provide expertise in specific areas, industry experts are called upon to advise the committee on research projects. Currently, Dr. George Clayton, retired scientist from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada serves as an advisor on the committee.
How are research funding decisions made?
AWC participates in several collaborative funding calls each year. AWC is a member of the Agricultural Funding Consortium in Alberta and participates in the Ag Development Fund process in Saskatchewan. Wheat-focused research proposals from other provinces are forwarded to us for consideration by our research partners.
This process allows for an annual “one-window” approach to funding research. Collaborative processes enhance the leveraging of producer funding by including multiple interested industry co-funders, as well as government sources.
AWC also collaborates with research partners in larger national funding opportunities, such as Genome Canada and Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
Click for more information on the Agricultural Funding Consortium and the Ag Development Fund.