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December 2024 Newsletter

GIFS Connect

A quarterly newsletter from the Global Institute for Food Security

The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) works with partners to discover, develop, and deliver innovative solutions for the production of globally sustainable food. Serving as ‘agriculture’s innovation catalyst’, GIFS is connecting the agri-food ecosystem, advancing innovation, and bridging the gap to commercialization to deliver resilient and sustainable food security for all stakeholders.

Dear Partners and Stakeholders,

On behalf of everyone at the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan, I want to thank you for your interest in and ongoing support for our organization. We’re proud to collaborate with stakeholders across the agri-food sector to advance innovation for globally sustainable food production. 

I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season and look forward to connecting and working together in 2025.

As the year draws to a close, I also want to take a moment to reflect on an eventful 12 months at GIFS that began with the release of the GIFS-Commissioned carbon life cycle analysis of Canadian field crops in January.

The analysis shows innovation is driving sustainable outcomes in Canadian agriculture. Our team has shared the results widely and they have spurred great conversation at events across Canada and internationally.

We are excited to keep that dialogue going through the initiative’s second phase that will include analyses of beef, oat, and barley production. We expect to share those results in 2025.

There are many other updates from 2024, including the milestones and leadership updates below.

2024 Highlights

In March, we were proud to announce the Government of Saskatchewan’s renewed investment into GIFS, which is supporting the advancement of our market-facing programs and technology platforms.

In June, we celebrated a new partnership with Farm Credit Canada, which invested $5 million to enable the FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS. Now operationalized, that program is serving as the foundation for new and impactful partnerships with plant and livestock breeding organizations.

We also continue to connect with researchers and organizations to discuss accelerated breeding and unique partnership models that can advance innovation.

Beginning in 2023, we have hosted a series of seminars with researchers from Agriculture Victoria in Australia, the University of Guelph, and The Ohio State University that have explored these topics.

Our most recent seminar, hosted this fall, addressed case studies from the dairy and crop sectors, as well as the positive impact of a genome selection-based consortium. At these events, we welcomed the participation of researchers and organizations across Canada, as well as internationally.

As always, we appreciate the engagement and interest and will be reaching out to stakeholders throughout the coming year to further the conversation on the exciting opportunities we have for collaboration.

You can learn more about these, and other highlights, in GIFS’ 2023-24 Annual Report.

Leadership Updates

It was also a year of change. This fall, we applauded the contributions of three outgoing members of GIFS’ Board of Directors: Dr. Marco Ferroni (PhD), Rick Burton, and Candace Laing.

In their place, we welcomed William Greuel, Todd Klink, and Dr. Sara Boettiger (PhD), who are now providing valuable insights to advance our goals.

It was with mixed emotions that we also announced the resignation of Dr. Nancy Tout (PhD), our Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), who is stepping aside to spend more time with family.

Nancy has been a dedicated and impactful leader within our organization and sector. We are grateful for her many contributions and wholeheartedly support her decision.

We have begun a search for a new CSO (view posting) and look forward to connecting with leaders across the agri-food sector about this exciting opportunity.

In the meantime, Dr. John Davies (PhD) will serve as GIFS’ Interim CSO. John is an experienced leader and his familiarity with GIFS and our team will ensure there is continuity during this transition as we continue to advance our initiatives and partnerships, including those conducted through the FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS.

Looking Ahead

As we look to 2025, I know we have another exciting year ahead.

This fall, we started renovations in our facility to enable our full suite of Engineering Biology equipment to come online. Stay tuned for updates on that initiative, as well as the many others that are underway to grow our network, foster new partnerships, and deliver innovation for our sector.

As always, if you have any questions about GIFS, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at partnerwithus@gifs.ca.

— Dr. Steven R. Webb, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Institute for Food Security

Partnerships, Collaborations, & Other Updates

GIFS 2023-24 Annual Report

GIFS’ latest Annual Report puts a spotlight on new partnerships and investments into our operations, the development of our programs and platforms, and more.

GIFS ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION OF DR. NANCY TOUT

GIFS has announced the resignation of its Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Nancy Tout (PhD), effective Dec. 31, 2024.

CAREER OPPORTUNITY: CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER

GIFS is looking for a dynamic leader to champion scientific innovation, team development, and strategic partnerships while representing GIFS within the broader scientific and innovation community.

COMBINING PASSION AND SCIENCE TO ADVANCE INNOVATION

Dr. Wendy Lyzenga (PhD), Senior Research Scientist at GIFS, is bringing her expertise in plant genetics and gene editing to advance crop improvement and support the FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS.

CFI NAVIGATOR

Two of GIFS’ technology platforms are now listed on the CFI Navigator, an online directory of research facilities across Canada. The directory includes a description of the equipment, expertise, and partnership opportunities available through GIFS’ Omics and Precision Analytics Laboratory and Plant Growth Facilities.

GIFS AT USASK PUTS ENGINEERING BIOLOGY TO WORK

A team at GIFS is currently building the organization’s new Engineering Biology Platform where biology, lab automation, and machine learning will be combined to enable research at a scale well beyond traditional experiments.

GLOBAL BIOTECH WEEK

GIFS was a proud sponsor and participant in Global Biotech Week in Saskatchewan. During the week, which raises awareness about the positive impact of the biotechnology sector, GIFS joined a science teacher workshop hosted by Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan and discussed its Engineering Biology Platform at an industry networking event.

SERVICES AND SOLUTIONS AT GIFS

GIFS can work across disciplines to advance innovation — a message we’ve shared at recent events, including the Medical Genetics Research Day at the University of British Columbia and One Health Symposium at USask.

At these events, we shared information about the high-throughput, automated workflows at GIFS, including an automated RNA-Seq library preparation protocol, that enable us to deliver affordable services and high-quality data to our partners faster.

Policy & Regulation

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN CANADA

Our team is continuing to share information about the GIFS-commissioned carbon life cycle analysis of Canadian field crops, which shows how Saskatchewan and Western Canadian producers have adopted agricultural innovations to reduce their footprint and drive sustainable outcomes.

In recent months, the analysis has also been discussed with audiences in Saskatchewan at events hosted by Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan, the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers, and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, among others.

In the fall, Board Chair Alanna Koch discussed agricultural production, sustainability, and policy and regulation as part of a panel at the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute’s (CAPI) annual conference in Ottawa.

Read more >>

Internationally, GIFS CEO Dr. Steven Webb presented an overview of the analysis with audiences through virtual events hosted by the Canada-ASEAN Business Council and Saskatchewan Ministry of Trade and Export Development.

View Canada-ASEAN Business Council webinar >>

Read more about the Sustainable Livestock in Vietnam event >>

BORDER CARBON ADJUSTMENTS

In October, GIFS CEO Dr. Steven Webb spoke to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food during a session exploring the impact of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) on Canadian agriculture.

STAKEHOLDER MEETING ON CELL-BASED FOOD AND PRECISION FERMENTATION

GIFS CEO Dr. Steven Webb was one of 60 participants to join a global meeting exploring technical issues around foods derived from cell culturing and precision fermentation.

GROW CANADA 2024

GIFS CEO Dr. Steven Webb recently joined a panel at Grow Canada 2024 exploring the innovative technologies that are advancing agriculture, including gene editing. At the event, Webb discussed the regulatory landscape and how Canada can be a global leader that advances science, innovation, and sustainability.

REPORT: GENOMICS AT WORK FOR PRAIRIE CROP INDUSTRY

Earlier this year, GIFS’ Dr. Nancy Tout participated in a workshop hosted by Genome Prairie and Genome Alberta that explored genome-based technologies. The session addressed challenges and opportunities related to research, policy, funding, crop production, and more.

GIFS in the News

CANADA’S $30 BILLION OPPORTUNITY TO REKINDLE AGRICULTURAL GROWTH

In a new interview, GIFS’  Dr. Nancy Tout discusses how initiatives like the FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS can help organizations to maximize their impact through meaningful partnerships, including consortia models.

HOW AGRICULTURE INNOVATION CAN UNLEASH CANADA’S ECONOMIC POTENTIAL

In a recent article, GIFS CEO Dr. Steven Webb and leaders from CropLife Canada and the Canada Grains Council discuss how agricultural productivity and innovation can drive economic impact.

GET MORE SHOTS ON GOAL WITH AI

The team behind GIFS’ Engineering Biology Platform are utilizing biology, lab automation, and machine learning to advance a project designing new phytase enzymes.

POTENTIAL OF ENGINEERING BIOLOGY

Dr. Ben Scott (PhD), GIFS’ Engineering Biology Platform Lead, is featured in this article from the Global Agri-Food Advancement Partnership exploring the emerging engineering biology sector.

THE 50 WOMEN TAKING BRAZILIAN AGRICULTURE TO THE WORLD

GIFS’ Dr. Renata Fuganti Pagliarini (PhD) is included in this list from Forbes Brazil highlighting the contributions and impact of numerous business and research leaders.

THE EXTENSIONISTS

GIFS Board Chair Alanna Koch was recently featured on The Extensionists, a new podcast featuring conversations with researchers and farmers on important agricultural issues.

Recent Events

INNOVATION AND IMPACT: CASE STUDIES IN ACCELERATED BREEDING

In October, GIFS welcomed researchers from the University of Guelph and The Ohio State University for a discussion about the successful implementation of accelerated breeding strategies and partnerships in the crop and dairy sectors.

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