JULY 2026 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA 19 private roles must evolve, what does the next model look like?” S1E5: What Food and Beverage Supply Chains Need How do plant breeding investments help everyday Canadians? Gerald Girard answers it in terms anyone can. As direc tor of barley procurement at Malteurop, his work sits at the point where what farmers grow becomes what consumers use. That position gives him an unusu ally clear view of how far the effects of agricultural investment travel through the value chain. Girard’s argument is straightforward: the reliability people expect in everyday products does not happen by accident. It is the result of sustained investment in plant breeding, research, and the produc tion systems that hold supply chains together. Stable barley supply. Consistent raw input quality. Predictable outcomes season after season. None of that is guaranteed — it is built, deliberately, over time. S1E6: Not Just a Slogan Ontario dairy farmer Andrew Campbell echoes Girard’s perspective from the farm level. Campbell argues that “pro ducing more with less” is not simply a slogan. It is the only viable path forward for Canadian agriculture, and it depends entirely on keeping plant breeding research moving. If investment disap pears, progress stalls and the math no longer works. Warburtons and Canadian Wheat Canada’s global reputation in wheat production demonstrates what sustained investment can achieve. Warburtons, a major British bakery company produc ing more than two million loaves daily, relies heavily on Canadian wheat because of its consistent quality. More than 600 Canadian farms grow grain for the company under contract. In S1E7, Adam Dyck, Warburton’s Canadian program manager, insists that “plant breeding innovation has to be at the forefront of what we do.” International buyers source Canadian grain not because it is cheapest, but because breeders made it dependable. If Canadian quality slips or innovation slows, customers will quickly turn elsewhere. He argues Canada needs “a mecha nism” attracting both public and private investment into breeding systems at a scale large enough to remain globally competitive. Greg Stamp and Variety Use Agreements Alberta farmer Greg Stamp believes Canada’s variety marketplace requires reform. He argues in the second-last episode of On the Brink Season 1 that the current system discourages investment by failing to provide clear revenue pathways for breeders. One proposed solution is variety use agreements, allowing farmers Watch all the episodes of On the Brink Season 1 and the beginning of Season 2 and subscribe for early access to each new episode — plus opportunities to share your ideas and be part of the conversation. Know someone with a perspective that should be heard? Nominate yourself or someone else by emailing: onthebrink@seedworldgroup.com ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT PLANT BREEDING AND INNOVATION IN CANADA: using improved varieties to contribute royalties supporting further breeding work. Justin Funk and Independent Seed Companies Independent seed companies also play a critical role in Canadian agriculture. Justin Funk notes in the eighth and final episode of season 1 that approximately 90% of Canada’s cereals, pulses, and other small-seeded crops are distributed through independent seed businesses, many of them family-run operations deeply rooted in rural communities. The central message throughout Seed World’s On the Brink series is straight forward: Canadian plant breeding has consistently delivered measurable results because previous generations invested patiently in long-term agricultural capac ity. Whether Canada continues leading in crop innovation or gradually surrenders that position depends on whether the country makes the same commitment again today.
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