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 seedprovide producers with detailed answers industry has taken a momentous stepabout how the SVUA will work. It will to usher in a new era for plant breedingalso help the seed industry better under-innovation in Canada. stand how it can generate a return on At the Prairie Grain Developmentplant breeding investments.Committee (PGDC) meetings inThis is a direct-to-customer proto-Winnipeg in February, the Canadiantype to show how modern communica-Plant Technology Agency (CPTA) and thetions and contracting tools can be used Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA)to generate revenue for plant breed-announced two initiatives they say willing programs in Canada, Hadley said. help Canadian crops remain competitive. Jason ReinheimerCPTA executive directorProducers will be able to directly reward CPTA has launched a pilot program tois senior breeder forLorne Hadley. breeders of varieties they see value in test how the Seed Variety Use AgreementLimagrain Cerealsand want to enter into a SVUA for.(SVUA) will work in the real world. It isResearch Canada. The SVUA platform is a confidential, paired with a working group spearheadedonline database that will handle all SVUA by the CSTA that will bring togetheragreements, variety use acknowledge-producers and industry stakeholders forUnder the SVUA, producers whoments, declarations, invoices, payments updates on the pilot program and act as apurchase a variety with a SVUA attachedand compliance activity and data. Phase 1 forum to provide advice and collaborate.will be invoiced a Seed Variety Use Feeof the SVUA platform will be operational The pilot program will introduce afor every year that they choose to divertin March 2020. Phase 2 of the System will SVUA system for a limited number ofsome grain of that variety to use as seedbe completed by March 2021.seed varieties sold for planting begin- (often referred to as farm-saved seed).The system is built on a platform used ning in spring 2020. Limagrain CerealsThe pilot will assess how the SVUAby all retailers and growers of midge Research Canadas first registeredworks in a real-farm situation in order totolerant wheat (MTW) in Western Canada wheat varietiesCS Accelerate andbetter inform the value creation discus- for the past decade. Modifications to the CS Daybreak to be sold by Canterrasion for the entire agriculture valueMTW platform have enabled the SVUA Seedswill be included. A soybeanchain, notes CPTA executive directorplatform to be developed for value crea-variety from SeCan will be a part ofLorne Hadley. Specifically, the pilot willtion purposes, Hadley noted.the pilot project as wellND17009GTevaluate the proposed platform that will is not currently registered in Canadabe used to contract, track, invoice andFour Short Yearsand will not be sold until registration,collect fees for farm-saved seed of SVUAThe first two wheat varieties that will have which is expected in the spring of 2020.varieties. a SVUA attached were first announced ND17009GT is a glyphosate tolerant soy- by Canterra Seeds during the summer of bean developed by North Dakota StateDirect-to-Customer 2019 and represent a major shift in the University. Full details of the SVUA forCPTA has created this pilot program inwheat breeding landscape in Canada. the variety will be available from SeCanresponse to producers who raised ques- Developed by Limagrain Cereals Research upon registration, says western businesstions during the value creation consul- Canada and its senior breeder Dr. Jason manager Todd Hyra. tations. The outcome of the pilot willReinheimer, CS Accelerate and CS 6GERMINATION.CAINTERNATIONAL EDITION 2020'