Nutrition Research Funding Program

DFC’s Nutrition Research Funding Program offers financial support for research projects in the area of human nutrition and health, food science and sustainable diets, in relation to dairy products. Projects are peer-reviewed and evaluated by an expert committee comprised of renowned Canadian researchers with expertise in various areas of food science, nutrition, health and medicine.

The objective of the Nutrition Research Funding Program is to gain a better understanding of the specific role of dairy products in attaining and maintaining optimal health as well as their contribution in a sustainable diet. DFC considers proposals that have nutrition and health implications for Canadian dairy products are relevant to Canadian dairy farmers, and address at least one of DFC’s research priorities.

DOCUMENTS FOR DOWNLOAD

POLICY FOR THE INDIRECT COSTS

Dairy Farmers of Canada will not pay the research institutions, principal investigators and/or co-investigators for any indirect costs for projects funded in this research funding program. Please refer to the guidelines above.

HEALTH CLAIMS

Please note that research projects that refer to or involve the potential for a health claim should ensure compliance with Health Canada’s Guidance Documents for scientific substantiation of health claims.  For more details, please consult Health Canada’s website at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/label-etiquet/claims-reclam/assess-evalu/index-eng.php 

RESEARCH PRIORITIES

Of specific interest to DFC are research projects which feature dairy products in their entirety (particularly milk, cheese and yogurt, including regular fat versions), demonstrate technological innovation and utilize a multidisciplinary approach, whenever possible, to address fundamental and applied research questions. Applied human randomized, controlled trials and mechanistic studies in humans are of particular interest. Our current research priorities and areas of interest can be found here.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR NUTRITION RESEARCH FUNDING 

All research projects funded by Dairy Farmers of Canada under the Nutrition Research Funding Program are subject to the Guiding Principles for Nutrition Research Funding in order to ensure the quality and the independence of the research:

Scientific Integrity

• Research funding is based on a competitive process that utilizes a committee of external researchers to evaluate the projects. Projects are selected based on scientific merit and alignment with research priorities and available budget. '
• The Principal Investigator maintains independence in all aspects related to the research and data, including the study design and the conduct of the research; the collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; the decision to publish the findings and the preparation and approval of the peer-reviewed manuscripts.
• Research must abide by the legal and ethical principles pertaining to human and animal subjects.  Ethics approval by the institutional review board is required. 

Transparency 

• Prior to the commencement of the research, the Principal Investigator and Dairy Farmers of Canada will enter into a memorandum of agreement that clearly outlines the rights, obligations and responsibilities of both parties.
• The Principal Investigator should use his/her best effort to obtain publication of the research findings in a peer-reviewed journal, in a timely manner, irrespective of the outcome.
• Dairy Farmers of Canada does not offer remuneration geared to the outcome of the project.
• Full disclosure of all financial interests in a research project is required in all publications and presentations by researchers as well as by Dairy Farmers of Canada.
• The Principal Investigator cannot participate in undisclosed paid authorship arrangements in Dairy Farmers of Canada-funded publications or presentations.
• Human trials should be registered in a recognized registry (e.g., ClinicalTrials.gov).