Research Projects

Each year, IRDA's R&D Team conducts more than one hundred research projects in sustainable agriculture. What's more, IRDA is working with Quebec's key agricultural stakeholders to find concrete solutions.

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Results for 2023
2020-2023 • Market gardening

Using seasonal tillage in combination with cover crops as a biological method to control cutworms in organic cruciferous crops

Evaluation of new practices to control cutworms in organic vegetable production.

Researchers: Annabelle Firlej Maxime Lefebvre

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Annabelle Firlej
Maxime Lefebvre
2020-2023 • Market gardening

Assessing a weeding robot for use in organic market gardening

New, robotic weed control strategy for widespread use in field vegetables grown organically in Québec.

Researcher: Élise Smedbol

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Élise Smedbol
2020-2023 • Livestock production

Biocontaminants emitted into the air during the spreading of swine slurry: biosecurity risk assessment and mitigation on hog farms

Project to limit the spread of disease and improve biosecurity protocols on farms through improved understanding of emissions and alternate spreading techniques.

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Patrick Brassard
Stéphane Godbout
2020-2023 • Livestock productionField crops

The agricultural value of whole biomethanation digestate and its various fractions: potential use in fertilization and recycled bedding

Assessment of the efficiency of biomethanation digestate as a fertilizer for field crops and as recycled bedding in dairy production.

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Stéphane Godbout
Christine Landry
Caroline Côté
2020-2024 • Livestock production

Develop and assess emerging green technologies that can lower the risks and dangers associated with aerosols on farms

Assessing an electrostatic precipitator system designed to improve air quality and, thereby, worker health and animal welfare.

Researcher: Stéphane Godbout

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Stéphane Godbout
2020-2023 • Fruit production

Tailoring apple scab control strategies to the properties of the fungicides utilized

Developing a new scab control strategy based on selecting the lowest-risk products that best fit the circumstances at hand, and tailoring the doses accordingly.

Researcher: Vincent Philion

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Vincent Philion
2020-2024 • Livestock productionField crops

Forage crop irrigation: helping farmers to make informed decisions

Irrigation project to spare farmers the loss of competitiveness and other risks brought about by drought periods.

Researchers: Carl Boivin Luc Belzile

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Carl Boivin
2020-2023 • Livestock production

The impact of alternative housing for laying hens on air quality and the health of workers

The overall aim of this research is to assess the exposure of workers in conventional and alternative egg production facilities to dust and bio-aerosols, and to characterize the respiratory health risks they face.

Researcher: Stéphane Godbout

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Stéphane Godbout
2019-2023 • Livestock production

Fugitive emissions after manure spreading: risk assessment and mitigation

This project addresses the risks posed by the spreading of manure and emissions released into the environment to the biosecurity of farms, as well as to the health of workers and nearby populations.

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Patrick Brassard
Stéphane Godbout
2019-2023 • Livestock production

Developing strategies for animal welfare-compliant livestock buildings, to minimize health risks to workers

This project addresses the risks posed by new breeding practices that were developed to improve animal welfare.

Researcher: Stéphane Godbout

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Stéphane Godbout
2019-2023

Installing and operating a hydrometric station at Ruisseau aux Castors

IRDA has been mandated to design, install, and operate a hydrometric station at the watershed outlet of Ruisseau aux Castors in the Brome-Missisquoi regional county municipality.

Researcher: Simon Ricard

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Simon Ricard
2019-2023 • Livestock production

Developing a procedure and tools that utilize genetic markers to identify fecal contamination sources in waterways

This project will develop a procedure that relies on genetic markers to identify the animal species responsible for fecal contamination.

Researcher: Caroline Côté

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Caroline Côté
2019-2023 • Market gardeningField crops

Implementing a three-year sustainable forage crop rotation for potato and field crop farmers

This project seeks to create farmer partnerships in which participants work on implementing a three-year forage crop rotation protocol in potato and field crop fields.

Researcher: Richard Hogue

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Richard Hogue

The solutions developed by IRDA aim to...

Ensure the sustainability

and quality of soil, water, and air

Protect the health and well-being

of local communities by improving the quality of crop and livestock production, with an emphasis on animal welfare

Safeguard the economic viability

of crop and livestock production

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