b"one of the pillars within their portfolio.got our strategic drivers, the objectives,focusing on doing?They reached out and worked with thethe actions and what success looks likeMM: The shift within our group began government to make that transitionthrough measures. So that's the nextwithin our two breeding programs, and happen. step that we're looking to complete. Thewe did a lot of this work in the first year. timeline for that is early in 2022. We are refocusing within those programs ASG: How has the transition gone? to meet what the industry needs are. So MM: Shifting from the administrationASG: How does the newthat's another component where were within a government to switching torelationship between Olds Collegecontinuing to have those conversations a post-secondary system has beenand FCDC work? with the industryto sit down and talk quite different considering what we'reMM: The big difference is a lot ofabout where their goals are and where used to. We had a reduction in staff,communication of the forward plan.our goals are. And when we start to see we have 22 staff now consisting ofThe strategic and business plan will besome areas of overlap out of it, how do technical and scientific managementthe road map. The government waswe work together to make that work for and administrative people. We do havegoing through a very introspectiveeach of us? So that's ongoing work that a complement of seasonal and summerperiod of looking to focus and workwe will be building out. students that assist as needed. Andon the things that were a prior priorityI guess there was another hangover actually we completed the same amountfor them. Research became less of oneas the government was working on of work we did in 2019 as far as fieldworkand they looked for areas where theywhat their direction was going to be. and lab work. could transition as much of the existingFor several years we couldnt get any I do have to say the flexibility andcapacity as they could. FCDC was oneresearch commitments because of the the time that it takes for us to move on aof their assets that was divested to othergovernment not wanting to commit to decision is much quicker and much moreinstitutions. And so weve been handedlong term agreements. So we were in a responsive. And so we're starting to settleoff, continued to be supported with a lotbit of a black hole. Now and evidenced into that We had a huge amount ofof the infrastructure that still is owned byby this past year, weve signed research assistance from Olds College, from their IT,the government. The other part is Oldsagreements that are multi-year and their HR, their management side, the otherCollege, were in an organization nowbegan this year. Again the industry is supporting groups to help us to work inwhich is looking long into the future. starting to understand yes we're going to collaboration online, its gone very well. IsWere just starting to integrate with thebe here, yes were open for business, and it totally complete? Not quite, but theresother parts of Olds College such as thehow can we work to help you guys.not a whole lot more to do on that. Olds College Centre of Innovation, their Smart Farm, and the cattle operation.ASG: Is there anything else you'd ASG: What changes have beenWe are looking to collaborate more,like to add?made at FCDC? as collectively between us, there areMM: Well besides the plant breeders in MM: Within the scientific side, we'veoverlapping skills and expertise that willtheir scientific capacity, we also have refocused especially in our barleybe woven together. A couple of examplessupporting labs of pathology, quality area. We now have a realignment ofwould be the feed component elementsand biotech. They're also looking to the breeding programs into two clearof the cattle research program, andwork better with outside organizations streamsfeed and forage, and malt.how they are able to test their technicalto support the breeding area in a broader Triticale is again carried on, where theapplications for agronomic work. Againrange for industry improvement than thing we changed there was we're outback to the Smart Farm where werewe've been able to before. For all of of doing winter triticale. So the winteralready planning potential use of dronesus, that's where we're really starting to annual program is wrapping up.to help assist in doing a lot of the fieldexplore how does that look for us? Well A major effort which will affect somework in perhaps a speedier way orcontinue to look at new ways of doing change is weve just completed wasactually even a better way. It's a broaderthings with all of our partners from our strategic plan in October, whichand more collaborative relationship oncollaborators to funders. The landscape began in January. And right now we'remany fronts as that capacity was notis changing from what we've done for in the middle of doing our businesswithin the government. the last 10 or 20 years as far as working plan to support that. It'll flesh out theand funding this research.components of the plan where weveASG: What work is FCDC currently Ashley RobinsonSpring 2022 19"