Advances in agri-food science and technology are accelerating the development of a wide range of new industrial, health and nutritional products obtained from plants, animals and microorganisms. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) - which is responsible for all matters relating to agriculture, including food products derived from biotechnology - relies on science and innovation as the cornerstone of its efforts to make Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector the world leader in food safety and environmentally sound production.

The department works to improve Canadians' quality of life by undertaking research and development programs that support the production of safe and nutritious food, maintain a healthy environment and develop innovative technologies. Biotechnology is an important tool in helping AAFC's scientists secure this goal. Specifically, it helps them develop better diagnoses and treatments of human, animal and crop diseases, breed new crops that are more stress tolerant, nutritious and higher yielding, and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers in food production.

In September 1999, the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors initiated a project with the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) to develop a national standard for the voluntary labelling of genetically engineered (GE) foods. AAFC has played a lead role in coordinating and developing departmental, portfolio and Government of Canada positions on certain key aspects of the labelling standards that were developed through analysis and consultation with agri-food industry stakeholders on the CGSB committee, as well as other government departments and agencies.

The CGSB process is indicative of the importance of the Canada's Agricultural Policy Framework. This framework recognizes that consumers are becoming much more discerning and demanding in their food choices. It aims to ensure farmers and the agriculture and agri-food sector have the tools to better meet these demands. Such tools include systems for crop segregation, tracking, traceback, identity preservation, and testing of crops and foods. These tools, in turn, support the voluntary labelling standard that will help to ensure the retention and enhancement of consumer confidence by providing transparency and information on modern biotechnology and its use.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's labs across the country offer a wide range of scientific expertise including molecular biology, crop physiology, weed science, natural products chemistry, agronomy, entomology, bioinformatics, pathology, and genetics. This integrated expertise is essential to finding useful genes, understanding their functions, and incorporating them into germplasm and crop varieties for the benefit of the Canadian agri-food industry.

The Canadian Crop Genomic Initiative is a major departmental biotechnology project aimed at identifying the structure and function of key crop genes. This work is helping to develop Canadian crops - specifically corn, soybeans, canola and wheat - with disease and insect resistance, cold and drought tolerance, and better yield and quality attributes. The results of this initiative will contribute to positioning Canada as a world leader in food safety, innovation and environmentally responsible production.

AAFC's innovations are helping Canadians use knowledge, technology and entrepreneurial skills to capitalize on opportunities in the knowledge-based global economy. Canada's agri-food industry generates some $44 billion annually in revenue. Total agri-food exports are about $20 billion a year. As it accounts for 15 percent of Canadian employment and 9 percent of gross domestic product, the sector represents a significant driver of the Canadian economy.

A number of factors mean Canada's food producers will increasingly depend on biotechnology. With most of its potentially arable land already in production, Canada's capacity to meet the ever-expanding demand for more and better food products by a growing world population will depend on such innovations. In addition, the developed world's aging population has created new markets for functional foods and nutraceutical products with health-promoting attributes.

Through investments in biotech, AAFC can help ensure Canadians reap the benefits of these innovations and their associated economic spin-offs. But the net gain for Canada goes beyond mere dollars and cents. For instance, scientific advances in biotechnology are spawning new diagnostic technologies to help Canada's regulatory system ensure a safe and wholesome food supply. This instills confidence in Canadian agricultural and agri-food products, both at home and abroad. A further benefit is that this country's scientific community is stocked with the best minds the world has to offer. This keeps Canada on the vanguard of science, attracting further talent into the fold. It also helps to create and retain high-tech jobs, and contribute to national science objectives.

AAFC weed scientists in Saskatoon have discovered an indigenous fungal species that controls dandelions and several other broadleaf weed species in turf grass when applied before weeds emerge. This naturally-occurring weed control product may provide a new option for weed control in instances where there is risk of exposure to vulnerable groups of people or possible environmental harm. Field studies show that dandelions may be controlled up to 95% and chickweed up to 80% throughout the growing season. Negotiations are under way to collaborate on additional research that will lead to development of the fungus as a viable commercial product.

A technology developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's food labs in Summerland, British Columbia, and Ottawa, Ontario, will show whether ground beef has been contaminated with the pathogenic strain of E. coli. The technique uses DNA arrays and can distinguish between different strains of the same bacteria, a boon when dealing with the extended E. coli family. The technology offers a significant time advantage over conventional testing for foodborne pathogens that can take several days. The rapid detection and identification of potentially harmful bacteria helps reduce the risks associated with pathogenic microorganisms.

A team of specialists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is taking a hard look at food virology. The researchers are using molecular genetics to detect food-borne viruses and purify them from different foods. So far, the team has been able to use molecular techniques to detect viruses such as Hepatitis A, Rotavirus and Norwalk. The next step is to develop efficient extraction and recovery methods of viruses in samples taken from different agri-food products.

AAFC researchers have identified and characterized wheat genes that allow plant breeders to more efficiently incorporate resistance to wheat leaf rust and fusarium head blight into new wheat varieties. The $5.1 million three-year study, part of the AAFC's Genomics Initiative, has also led to the discovery of genes involved in basic disease resistance pathways not specific to one disease-causing organism. These genes may provide resistance to multiple pests such as tanspot, septoria leaf blotch, wheat midge, hessian fly and wheat stem sawfly.

Researchers have also identified previously unknown regions of the wheat genome that govern wheat quality. Knowledge of these genes and chromosome regions will allow breeders to develop varieties that target customer demands, ensuring Canada's reputation as a supplier of top quality wheat.

The department's research teams have worked for more than three years to compile a database of over 25,000 gene sequences and over 2,000 microsatellite markers (regions which indicate particular sequences of DNA) for Argentine canola, Brassica napus. The mapping of the genome for Brassica napus will lead to the identification of genes that control a wide range of processes including resistance to fungal pathogens and insect pests, tolerance to cold, as well as protein, oil and glucosinolate accumulation, and fatty acid modification. Once these genes are identified they may be used in new varieties which will reduce the use of chemical fungicides and insecticides, enhance cold tolerance and give higher yields of oils and proteins.