Through the Agricultural Policy Framework, the federal and provincial governments agreed to provide “wedge funding” for the province’s companion programs. The Canada- Ontario Research and Development (CORD) IV program is one program under the companion fund. The CORD IV program is intended to invest up to $35 million in research and development until March 31, 2008. The Agricultural Adaptation Council (AAC) administers the CORD IV program on behalf of the federal and provincial governments.

The Ontario beef industry allocation of the CORD IV program is $3.6 million. OCA is responsible for coordinating research and development priorities and projects on behalf of the Ontario beef industry. Funds have already been approved for a number of beef research projects and industry development initiatives.

OCA has also partnered with the University of Guelph’s Department of Agricultural Economics to develop a beef model that will quantify the value of the Ontario beef industry to the rural economy. Other projects, such as the Regional Marketing Initiative, led by Mallot Creek, and the Emergency Management and Crisis Communications project respond directly to input from OCA members during the Strategic Planning process.