Developing New Partnerships for Expanded Ag Research
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When asked why I took the executive director position at the Western Grains Research Foundation, my response was simple. Throughout my 30 year career, I have always challenged myself in positions with increasing responsibilities. I enjoy working with producers and believe that Western Canada has the potential to play a more significant role in world food export markets._x000D_
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WGRF is a western Canadian producer-directed organization that has been in existence for 30 years. In my opinion, WGRF’s greatest strength is that it is a producer-directed board with representation from Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. WGRF has long standing relationships with the federal government, western Canadian provincial governments and various public institutions engaged in agricultural research._x000D_
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With the recent passing of the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, Bill C-18, many changes are on the horizon for Western Canada agriculture. WGRF was pleased that provisions were included in the legislation for a temporary point of sale check-off on wheat and barley was designated for variety research and market development._x000D_
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WGRF, the Canadian International Grains Institute and the Canadian Malt Barley Technical Centre have worked together to provide federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials with a draft term sheet of the regulations needed to collect wheat and barley check-offs starting August 1, 2012. WGRF will be working with other provincial producer organizations to develop a new industry model that will allow for permanent dedicated variety research check-offs in wheat and barley following this five year transition period._x000D_
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Throughout the industry, there is renewed enthusiasm about wheat and the importance of attracting increased investment into wheat breeding research. For Canadian farms to be sustainable, both economically and environmentally, cereals, oilseeds, pulses and special crops are needed in crop rotations. WGRF believes the competitiveness of wheat and other cereals in crop rotations can be improved to provide producers with increased returns and more sustainable crop rotations._x000D_
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Investment in wheat breeding in Western Canada from public, private and producer sources is only about $23 million per year. Compared with breeding investments in wheat and other crops internationally, it becomes very apparent that wheat breeding investments in Canada need to quadruple to about $100 million per year. WGRF looks forward to working with private industry, governments and public breeding institutions to develop collaborations that will not only increase wheat breeding activity but ultimately increase the profitability of producers._x000D_
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Producers have long recognized the benefits of crop research. Canadian studies have shown returns of between $4 and $20 for every producer dollar invested in crop research. As the executive director of WGRF, my goal is for every producer in Western Canada to understand what WGRF is doing for them through the wheat and barley check-offs, as well as the endowment fund. I also believe that because of its 30 years of experience and western Canadian scope, WGRF is in a good position to develop new partnerships for expanded agricultural research to benefit producers._x000D_
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Garth Patterson, Executive Director, Western Grains Research Foundation
