The Equine Feed Oat Project (EFOP) today announced the recipient of its first equine oat research grant. Dr. Laurie Lawrence of the University of Kentucky will receive more than $122,000 in funding for a two-year research project beginning in February 2013.
Nutritional research to benefit horses
Healthy horses have been eating oats for hundreds of years because they are safe, natural and healthy, and research will help us know why and how oats are good for horses.
The EFOP is an initiative of the Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA), a non -profit organization representing 15,000 Canadian Oat Farmers. Launched in 2010, the EFOP was created to conduct research and educate about the role of oats in equine nutrition. Since its formation in 1998, POGA has placed a high priority on funding research that has helped produce many new varieties of oats for both the human and equine markets.
"Healthy horses have been eating oats for hundreds of years because they are safe, natural and healthy. And we know how and why oats are good for people," said Bill Wilton, Chairman of POGA. "Dr. Lawrence's research will help us know more about why and how oats are good for horses."
POGA received matching funding for the grant from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture - Agriculture Development Fund (ADF). Each year ADF provides over $10 million in project funding to researchers in public and private research and development in order to create future growth opportunities in the provincial agriculture industry.
Laurie Lawrence, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Kentucky (UK) and has more than 30 years experience in equine nutrition. She joined UK in 1992 and has since become one of the leading researchers and teachers in equine nutrition. She has authored numerous papers and studies and has been honored by the industry and her peers for her work including the American Society of Animal Science, the Equine Science Society and the University of Kentucky.
About the Equine Feed Oat Project
The Equine Feed Oat Project (EFOP) is an initiative of the Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA), a volunteer farmer organization representing 15,000 hard-working Canadian oat growers. The EFOP was created in 2010 to research, educate and communicate information about oats to the equine industry.