As announced in the 2008 Ontario Budget, the government is providing the University of Guelph with $56 million in new, one-time funding. This is in addition to ongoing funding provided under the partnership between the university and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

In keeping with the ministry's forward-looking priorities, this money will be used in the following ways:

Agri-Food R&D Innovation

New research areas beyond traditional bulk commodity production will be funded, including:

• product development and enhancement through the value chain
• sustainable agricultural production
• environmental sustainability
• agriculture and rural policy
• industrial uses for the bioeconomy
• food for health
• emergency preparedness
• graduate student development.

It will also finance a new Knowledge Translation and Transfer (KTT) to ensure that research gets efficiently disseminated and adopted. This includes marketing, awareness, publications and developing a knowledge management database.

Animal Health Strategic Investment

This includes activities aimed at providing Ontario with improved methods to address an animal health crisis:

• new tests for emerging diseases
• baseline surveillance for the early detection of emerging hazards
• development and testing of emergency and business continuity plans for the Animal Health Laboratory.

Ontario Veterinary College

New veterinary public health/large animal initiatives including:

• placing graduates in new areas including veterinary public health and zoonotic diseases (which can be transmitted between animals and humans)
• new initiatives to address the need for large animal veterinarians in remote areas.