By Alice McFarlane

Farm Credit Canada funds accelerated breeding program

Jun 18, 2024 | 3:06 PM

Increased genetic gain and yield through accelerated breeding will help stimulate rural economic growth and translate to increased revenue and market share for Canadian agriculture.

Canada’s Farm Show in Regina, Sask. was the platform used by Farm Credit Canada to announce it would provide $5 million to the accelerated breeding program at the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask). The newly named FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS will combine technologies like genomic selection, speed breeding, bioinformatics and computer simulation to increase the rate of genetic gain for crop and livestock breeding programs.

Steven Webb, GIFS Chief Executive Officer, said delivering new products into the hands of producers two to three years faster and improving agronomics, quality and disease resistant traits is the goal.

“Canadian breeders have a long history of introducing new varieties and creating new market opportunities,” he said. “This enables access to the most advanced tools and technologies and accelerating the productivity gains for new crop and livestock varieties and hybrids in Canada,” Webb said.

Deployed for over 20 years in dairy and for more than a decade in corn and soybean through large corporations, the FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS will provide public and private breeders access to the same technologies not routinely available for crops and livestock important to Canada.

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A 2023 report by FCC identifies a $30 billion opportunity over 10 years to rekindle Canada’s agriculture productivity growth, and highlights innovation and technology as a pathway to achieving this.

FCC President and Chief Executive Officer Justine Hendricks said the investment is a commitment to improving Canada’s agricultural productivity and addressing the pressing challenges of improving food security.

“This collaboration with GIFS moves us towards maximizing the benefits of the generational opportunity in front of us and will keep Canada at the forefront of agricultural excellence and sustainable production through innovative solutions,” she said.

The FCC Accelerated Breeding Program at GIFS complements USask, Saskatchewan and Canada’s strong and successful history of breeding, innovation and agricultural production.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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