b'Thats why its important for com- Albertas grain industry, addressing both modity organizations to do these typesimmediate and long-term challenges, of studies and say, Look, were providingwith impacts that extended well beyond solid value to the Canadian economythe province, according to Smyth.with these new varieties of seed that areAlberta Grains allocated $19.2 mil-being developed.lion, or 52% of the total investments, to the development and commercialization Complicated Landscape of new wheat and barley varieties. The Most of the variety development inremaining funds supported pre- and canola and soybeans is done by the pri- post-breeding research. vate sector. When it comes to cereals andIf you go back to the early 1970s, pulses, its primarily done by the publicpublic funding really was enough, sector, Smyth notes. That means cerealsbecause rotations in a lot of places were and pulses predominantly rely on publicwheat and summer fallow, so if you had funding sources, but the exact percentageJeremy Boychyn is research director forgood wheat varieties, then you werent of plant breeding funded by checkoffsAlberta Grains.looking for a lot of other things from varies by crop and region. For example: a strictly grain-producing perspective, Wheat: Western Canadian farm- Smyth notes.ers contribute to the Western GrainsA couple of things have really Research Foundation (WGRF)WHEN YOU TAKE INFLATIONchanged, and are straining the system, through checkoffs, funding wheat andhe notes. barley breeding programs. WGRF hasINTO ACCOUNT OVER THE LASTWeve got increased cereal produc-provided millions in funding to public20 YEARS, ULTIMATELY, THEtion in terms of oat and barley varieties. breeding programs. Weve added new pulse varieties overPulse crops: Organizations like PulseFEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISthe last 50 years, like pea and lentil. Canada also use checkoff funds toThe dollars that have been set aside for support research, including breedingPUTTING LESS MONEY INTOvariety development have increased programs for peas, lentils, and otherdemands across a multitude of crop pulses. VARIETY DEVELOPMENT THANtypes. Canola: Checkoffs contribute to theTHEY WERE 15 OR 20 YEARS AGO. Making Plant Breeding SustainableCanola Council of Canada, which funds research and development inStuart Smyth As sustainability takes centre stage in breeding for traits like yield improve- farming circles, the focus shouldnt just ment, disease resistance and stressbe on how plant breeding can support tolerance. sustainability, but rather on how we can These check-offs are often matched bysustain breeding and variety development government grants, increasing the totalin Canada. funding available for plant breeding.Thats according to Lauren Comin, The exact proportion funded by pro- regulatory affairs director for Seeds ducer checkoffs can range from a modestCanada. She notes that traditionally, contribution to a significant share of thefederal programs like the AgriScience breeding budget, depending on the cropclusters have allowed industry groups to and the specific breeding program. match funding with federal dollars to Not all of the funds go to plantsupport public variety development. breeding, though. According to theHowever, under the current Valgen study, of the $37 million investedSustainable Canadian Agricultural by Alberta Grains from 2012-2022,Partnership (SCAP), which began in the money was split between five key2023 and runs through 2028, the focus research areas: variety development, pesthas shifted to addressing federal policy management, crop establishment, coreStuart Smyth is co-author of the reportpriorities like reducing greenhouse gas agreements, and other essential projects.Economic Impact Assessment of Alberta Grainsemissions and climate change mitigation, This fueled significant innovation inResearch Investments. Comin points out. 28 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA JANUARY 2025'