b'MAKING HISTORYThe new Seed Variety Use Agreement pilot project could be the beginning of something big that puts Canada on the map for maximizing innovation in breeding. Marc ZienkiewiczAFTER 12 YEARS OFdiscussion, the seedDirect-to-Customerindustry has taken a momentous stepCPTA has created this pilot program to usher in a new era for plant breed- in response to producers who raised ing innovation in Canada. questions during the value creation At the Prairie Grain Developmentconsultations. The outcome of the Committee (PGDC) meetings inpilot will provide producers with Winnipeg in February, the Canadiandetailed answers about how the Plant Technology Agency (CPTA) andSVUA will work. It will also help the Canadian Seed Trade Associationthe seed industry better understand (CSTA) announced two initiativeshow it can generate a return on plant they say will help Canadian cropsbreeding investments.remain competitive. This is a direct-to-customer pro-CPTA has launched a pilot pro- totype to show how modern com-gram to test how the Seed Varietymunications and contracting tools Use Agreement (SVUA) will workcan be used to generate revenue for in the real world. It is paired with aplant breeding programs in Canada, working group spearheaded by theHadley said. Producers will be able CSTA that will bring together pro- Jason Reinheimer is senior breeder forto directly reward breeders of varie-ducers and industry stakeholders forLimagrain Cereals Research Canada. ties they see value in and want to updates on the pilot program andenter into a SVUA for.act as a forum to provide advice andSeCan upon registration, says westernThe SVUA platform is a confiden-collaborate.business manager Todd Hyra. tial, online database that will handle The pilot program will introduceUnder the SVUA, producers whoall SVUA agreements, variety use a SVUA system for a limited numberpurchase a variety with a SVUAacknowledgements, declarations, of seed varieties sold for plantingattached will be invoiced a Seedinvoices, payments and compliance beginning in spring 2020. LimagrainVariety Use Fee for every year thatactivity and data. Phase 1 of the Cereals Research Canadas first regis- they choose to divert some grainSVUA platform will be operational in tered wheat varietiesCS Accelerateof that variety to use as seed (oftenMarch 2020. Phase 2 of the System and CS Daybreak to be sold byreferred to as farm-saved seed).will be completed by March 2021.Canterra Seedswill be included. AThe pilot will assess how theThe system is built on a platform soybean variety from SeCan will beSVUA works in a real-farm situationused by all retailers and growers a part of the pilot project as well in order to better inform the valueof midge tolerant wheat (MTW) in ND17009GT is not currently regis- creation discussion for the entireWestern Canada for the past decade. tered in Canada and will not be soldagriculture value chain, notes CPTAModifications to the MTW platform until registration, which is expectedexecutive director Lorne Hadley.have enabled the SVUA platform to in the spring of 2020. ND17009GTSpecifically, the pilot will evaluate thebe developed for value creation pur-is a glyphosate tolerant soybeanproposed platform that will be usedposes, Hadley noted.developed by North Dakota Stateto contract, track, invoice and collect University. Full details of the SVUAfees for farm-saved seed of SVUAFour Short Yearsfor the variety will be available fromvarieties. The first two wheat varieties that MARCH 2020 GERMINATION.CA 47'