b'CSGA / SEEDGROWERS.CA / THE NEXT GREAT WHEAT VARIETY IS ALREADY IN TROUBLEA NATIONAL TREASURE, NEGLECTEDWHAT DO AAC BRANDON,AAC Wheatland, and AAC Viewfieldbackfilled, every shelved research pro-all have in common? They are the backbone of Canadian wheatgram is a decision with consequences that production, bred by public institutions and planted across mil- will be felt for a generation. lions of acres in Western Canada. This isnt about next quarters results; They are also important examples of something we dontits about whether Canada wants to lead talk nearly enough about: Canadas public plant breedingor follow in the future of food produc-system. Its the foundational force, the silent insurance policy,tion. If we continue to walk away from and now, seemingly, the forgotten workhorse of Canadianvariety development, we risk becom-agriculture. ing dependent on varieties developed For decades, Canadas public plant breeding programs haveelsewhere, for different markets, different quietly delivered billions to our economy, improved crop genet- climates, and different priorities. Doug Miller, CSGAics, and strengthened our national food security. Some will argue that shifting public Executive Director Over the past 20 years, wheat yields in Western Canadadollars upstream is the way forward, have increased by more than 25%not through more ferti- that pre-breeding and partnerships are lizer or farmland, but through steady, science-driven improve- enough. But in practice, we are hollow-ments to genetics. Research shows that every dollar invested ining out our breeding capacity at the exact public wheat breeding returns between $20 and $33 in value.moment we need it most.Its hard to imagine a better return on public investment inClimate and political volatility are Canadian agriculture. accelerating. Global competition is fierce. And yet, what are we doing with this proven national asset?And lets not forget, a huge part of our We are letting it die on the vine. seed systemthe infrastructure, jobs, Past government decisions have closed research stations,and rural economies that deliver varieties test farms, and plot sites, erasing invaluable breeding capacityto farmersstill depends on the steady that we may never get back. The policy direction over the pastoutput of public breeding programs. decade has been clear, albeit rarely vocalized: step away fromLet me be clear: this isnt about variety finishing, lean into upstream science, and hope thatwhether public is better than private. others will fill the gap. Private plant breeding is vital to the But those others, namely private sector seed companies,success of the seed sector and Canadian cant and wont fill that gap alone. Not because they lack exper- agriculture as a whole. But public breed-tise or ambitionthey have plenty of bothbut because theying is different. Its the foundation. dont share the same mandate, and the economics dont workWithout it, the rest doesnt function as the same. efficiently or equitably.Many will point to canola as a model to follow, but wheatCanada needs a real strategy for plant doesnt have the same luxuries. It doesnt lend itself to hybridbreeding, just as we do for other core systems that generate predictable seed revenue. Cereal crops areinfrastructure and strategic resources. open-pollinated, regionally adapted, and widely farm-saved. We need stable funding, a clear path In Western Canada, less than 25% of wheat acres arefor succession, and a renewed vision for planted with certified seed. That means only a fraction of farm- what public breeding can benot just ers are paying royalties into the next generation of varieties. Itsat Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada not a model that can sustain private investment at scale.(AAFC), but in fields delivering results This isnt a crisis that will show up tomorrow, and thatsthat work for farmers.exactly the problem. The effects of under-investing or shiftingWhats most concerning is how focus in public breeding wont be fully felt for another 10 years,quickly this decline could accelerate. but when they arrive, theyll take generations to reverse. With AAFC already signaling its Plant breeding operates on decade-long timelines. The varie- desired shift away from variety devel-ties farmers will need in 2035 are being worked on noworopment, and the federal government should be. Every gap in capacity, every retirement that isntactively looking for places to cut spend-24 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADAJULY 2025'