Quelles priorités pour les fourrages au Québec ? Méthodologie d'élaboration et résultats

What priorities are to be given forages in Quebec ? A methodology for their establishment. Results

Half the cultivated area in Quebec is used to grow forages. Most of this forage is used as home-grown feed on the dairy and beef cattle farms, numbering some 16 000. Since forages are not considered a commercial commodity like grain, industry is less likely to lead the way in establishing a list of needs and priorities associated to forages. The Quebec Forage Council, a non-profit organization promoting the production and utilization of forages, has decided to set up such a list. Farmers, as well as people from industry and from government agencies, were consulted in a two-way process in 1995. First, three different groups of 12 to 15 participants each, two of them comprised exclusively of farmers (mostly dairy and beef producers) and the third with people from industry and from the government, were formed to list what they considered to be the various needs related to forages. Second, this list of needs thus established was sent to some 300 persons, farmers and industry and government people alike, to rate them on a scale of three exclusive statements : very important, moderately important, less important. This rating was further used to compile a list of priorities for the forage industry. Of the 199 forage needs listed, 26 were considered priorities in all answers. Farmers as a group, and the industry and government people as another group, listed 7 priorities in common among the 10 top ones. This list of needs and priorities in forages has been used to determine the course of action not only in research and development, but also for such things as conference and symposium presentations.