Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz teamed up with his provincial counterpart, Lyle Stewart, and together they announced $3.4 million in funding for 23 livestock and forage research projects.

Funding for the projects is provided through the Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund (ADF). Projects receiving funding in 2013 include development of oral and needle-free vaccines for calves, analysis of sheep health in the province, and field-testing a vaccine against chronic wasting disease.

“Saskatchewan is a world leader in agriculture research,” Ritz said in a press release. “The Agriculture Development fund and work done in the province’s research institutions help producers innovate to strengthen our economy here in Saskatchewan and across the country.

The investment is designed to help achieve the goals set out in the Saskatchewan Plan for Growth. The plan aims to increase crop production by 10 million tonnes, increase agriculture exports by $5 billion, and establish Saskatchewan as an international leader in bioscience by 2020.