Study will examine where Canada needs to boost its agrifood research.   Ottawa-Finding the gaps in Canada's agrifood research system and identifying the need for coordination, change and investment in it will be the debut task of a partnership in the sector called AgRise. AgRISE, which stands for Agri-Food Research, Innovation, Skills and Education, was launched at the annual meeting of the federal and provincial agriculture ministers in Fredericton. It aims to serve as a foundation for dialogue regarding industry and government priorities. It will be led by a working group of 11 industry organizations including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Deans Council - Agriculture, Food and Veterinary Medicine AFVM. It will conduct a study to identify strategies from input technologies to production systems to value-added innovations that will support the growth of the Canadian agrifood value chain, said a release from the Deans Council. “We're excited to kickstart a new era for Canada's agriculture and food sector with the launch of AgRISE, a national strategic platform for deliberative discussions on the role that skills training, education and research and innovation play in that future.” The AgRise study will be funded by MITACS, a national research support organization, to build on a 2022 industry workshop on agrifood research in Canada. The goal is “a clear picture of current research and innovation activity and alignment with industry and government priorities.” That information will set the stage for a national strategic approach in the agrifood sector “to optimizing funding, aligning research with industry and government priorities, and benchmark against international best practices to become a global agri-food leader.” The study will develop ideas for tackling limited research funding, duplication and gaps, slow technology transfer, and interdisciplinary skills development needs for the future. Like last year's workshop, the study will work on realizing the vision outlined in strategic documents like the 2016 Barton Report, 2018 Federal Economic Strategy Tables, and the Guelph Statement by the federal and provincial agriculture ministers. The study will looks at how the agrifood system works, how it doesn't and where there are gaps and needs for coordination, change and investment. A second important objective is to measure Canada's research capacity relative to other countries. The study will deliver a comprehensive database of agrifood research funding programs and identify funding gaps and alignment with Canada's agri-food priorities. It will also produce a policy brief offering actionable recommendations for Canadian agriculture and food research and innovation. “This research database will be a touchstone, guiding us towards a more strategic, competitive, and productive agri-food sector - to more effectively accomplish stakeholders and governments priorities.” AgRISE will be guided by Brodie Berrigan of the CFA and maintain regular communication with industry partners to ensure the project outcomes address the needs of the Canadian agri-food sector. It will receive advice from Guillaume Lhermie from the University of Calgary, Rene Van Acker from the University of Guelph, and Martin Scanlon from the University of Manitoba. Industry funding partners will hold regular videoconference meetings to provide guidance, review progress, and offer strategic input. The other AgRISE supporters include the Canola Council of Canada, Canadian Sheep Federation, the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network, CropLife, the Enterprise Machine Intelligence Learning Initiative, Swine International Porc, Beef Cattle Research Council, Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada, and Pulse Canada.