The University of Saskatchewan expects to break ground this summer for the construction of a new Feed Technology Research Facility and a new Grain Quality Laboratory which will become part of an Agriculture Research Park that's being developed adjacent to the University’s Saskatoon campus.

Feeds Resource Institute executive director Dr. Scott Wright says the new facilities will serve the livestock industry through more economic feeding opportunities and improved feed efficiency, the crops industry by offering alternative higher value opportunities for crop and crop residue sales both domestically and internationally and the feeds industry which adds value to those crops.

Dr. Scott Wright-University of Saskatchewan

I think if you look at changes in the industry right now we have changes around farming practices that have led us to things all the way from new crop types and new crop development opportunities.

We see the renewable fuels industry looming on the horizon with just a large quantity of coproducts with opportunities for value adding and, for us, very timely opportunity in terms of the redevelopment of the livestock industry her in North America after BSE.

The other piece I'd add on in terms of international market opportunities, we're really just seeing the economic pressures for the aquaculture diets moving away from fish meal and fish oil into vegetable type replacements so again a very timely pull for an extremely high value industry.

Dr. Wright suggests all of that supports economic develop, the creation of jobs and the development of very high value products that can replace a number of feed stuffs on the market word wide.

The new facilities are expected to be operational by September 2008.