Seed of the Year West is pleased to announce that Strongfield was selected as 2016-17 winner. Strongfield was developed by Dr. John Clarke and the wheat breeding team at AAFC Swift Current. Strongfield was available for the first time as Certified seed for the 2006 season. By 2007 it was the No. 1 durum in acres in Western Canada. At its peak (2011) Strongfield held two-thirds of all durum acres in Western Canada._x000D_
_x000D_
The award was presented at the Prairie Grain Development Committee recognition luncheon in Winnipeg today._x000D_
_x000D_
The commercial launch of Strongfield came at a critical time when the Canadian market was under pressure from Europe to reduce cadmium concentration in durum exports. Strongfield was the first commercially successful durum variety with low cadmium, essentially saving the Canadian durum industry from potential European non-tariff trade barriers related to heavy metals in food products._x000D_
_x000D_
“Strongfield has been SeCan’s No. 1-selling durum for the last 10 years, and up until 2016 was still the No. 1 durum in Western Canada,” said Todd Hyra, business manager, Western Canada, SeCan. “The fact it has maintained a large acreage for so long, and the fact that the newest durum varieties have Strongfield in their parentage, demonstrates the impact that the variety has had on the market, from breeding programs right to the durum grower. Products like this don’t come around very often — Strongfield is certainly a very worthy winner of Seed of the Year.”_x000D_
_x000D_
Seed of the Year is designed to provide recognition of seed varieties that have made a significant contribution to the economy, agriculture, and the Canadian public in general. Although the name, Seed of the Year, indicates the contribution in a particular year, the program is much broader-reaching and considers total lifetime achievement and contribution. Seed of the Year believes it is important to recognize the value of our plant breeding programs, as well as encourage the entry of new plant breeders to the industry._x000D_
_x000D_
This year, due to added sponsorships, Seed of the Year West was able to offer two $4,000 scholarships to students enrolled in a Western Canadian university and currently completing a Masters or PhD in plant breeding or genetics. Azam Nikzad, a PhD candidate and plant breeder at the University of Alberta, and James Tucker, a PhD candidate at the University of Manitoba and barley pathology for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, were selected as these year’s scholarship recipients by Dr. John Clarke._x000D_
_x000D_
“I am very proud to have the support of the sponsors of this scholarship. Recognition of my research as a winner for Seed of the Year scholarship is very encouraging for me to get closer to my goals,” said Nikzad._x000D_
_x000D_
“I am very honoured to receive this award and am grateful for the confidence that the seed industry has in me,” Tucker added.
