Wheat, barley breeders set shared vision for Western Canada

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In a joint statement, participants outlined a shared vision for what they called a thriving, innovation-driven system where collaboration and competition coexist. 

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“Collaboration and competition coexist to attract diverse investment and provide farmers with a choice of superior, field-ready varieties that meet the needs of end-use customers,” the statement said. 

Participants said the path forward remains flexible. 

They identified guiding principles they plan to use to evaluate future options, including calls to: 

• deliver field-ready varieties that meet end-use needs 

• use advanced breeding technologies, testing methods and data science 

• recognize long-term farmer investment 

• balance competition and collaboration to drive innovation and choice 

• provide stable, long-term public and private investment in breeding programs 

• support a sustainable return on investment 

• attract investment and talent from Canada and abroad 

• support responsive regulation and commercialization 

Representatives from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada attended the workshop. The department said it expects to continue working with stakeholders. 

Participants said discussions will continue in the coming months as the group engages more stakeholders and works toward a shared vision for Western Canadian wheat and barley plant breeding. 

No timeline was provided for when the group expects to finalize its vision. 

The statement was issued by the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition, the Canadian Barley Research Coalition, Seeds Canada, the University of Manitoba, the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre and the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta. 

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com