Research is very strong in the SouthGrow region, with key centers being the University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge Community College, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research Centre, and Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development (AAFRD).

• The University of Lethbridge has expertise in focus areas of management, biotechnology, water management and bio-products.  The University is developing a new water research group under WISE – Water Institute for Semi-Arid Ecosystems.  The institution also has unique resources in physics with one scientist conducting research for NASA.  The University of Lethbridge’s new 1st Choice Savings Health and Wellness Centre, once constructed, will focus on preventing conditions and illnesses that impact society, combining academic knowledge and research in the areas of kinesiology and health sciences.
• Lethbridge College provides more than 50 diverse career development and training areas, with one-year certificate, two-year diploma, apprenticeship, pre-employment and applied degree programs.  The College’s programs include applied research components.  The Aquaculture Centre for Excellence at the Lethbridge Community College is a cooperative partnership that develops and promotes aquaculture as a viable component of the agricultural industry.  Aquaculture projects involve species such as Grass Carp, Silver Carp, Jacoda Eel and Blackwater Carp.  The College also houses the Citizens Society Research Lab where applied research is conducted in the community.  Applied Research such as landscape composition and demographics of the Northern Pintails is also being conducted at the Lethbridge Community College.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has a strong focus on agriculture production research, with nearly 360 staff located at the Research Centre in Lethbridge.  AAFC has expertise in beef production, genetics, nutrition management, range management, water and air quality, manure management, beans, potatoes and forages, weed bio-control and soil and crop management.
• Alberta Agriculture and Food has a total of 130 people in the region and additional research staff located in Lethbridge with expertise in irrigation, production systems and rural entrepreneurship.  This provincial department has a breadth of resources to help producers and processors in developing viable businesses.

Taken together, this regional agri-food research cluster provides the south central region with the claim to be an international technology cluster for livestock genetics, beef production technologies, plant and animal biotechnology, irrigation systems and water management, long term land rotations, ruman, biotechnology and cereal breeding.  Annually, the level of research is in the order of $10 million by the University of Lethbridge and about $24 million by the AAFC Research Centre.

… Creating Opportunities through Innovation.