Whether we’re looking one year out or 20, the strength of our industry depends on the quality of the genetics we have access to. They drive yield, resilience, and ultimately the long-term profitability of the farms we support. That’s exactly why CANTERRA SEEDS stands behind Variety Use Agreements (VUAs) becoming an important part of the conversation about where Canadian agriculture goes next.
Today, much of Canada’s wheat is still built on genetics developed many years ago. Some of our most widely grown varieties were bred more than a decade ago and continue to make up a significant share of acres. At the same time, investment in breeding is trending downward, Certified Seed use remains modest, and the future of public breeding continues to be under pressure with the recent announcements out of AAFC.
While Canada has seen success with its current breeding system, other countries are moving ahead. Global breeding leaders are investing in sustainable and transparent systems that support reinvestment and competition. Without change, Canada risks falling behind and missing out on improved genetics developed for our growing conditions. Our overall productivity and global competitiveness need to remain a priority.
This is where VUAs come in.
Yes, VUAs require a royalty when farmers save and reuse seed from certain Certified varieties. I understand why this is a sensitive issue. No one wants added costs, and many believe innovation should be funded entirely by seed companies or public institutions.
But without VUAs, breeders can only reinvest through the royalties earned on Certified Seed sales. With CWRS Certified Seed use around 29 per cent, that model does not provide enough funding for the investment required to drive meaningful progress. A breeding program must invest for more than 10 years before it has an opportunity to generate any revenue, and what farmers pay in VUA’s today reflects the cumulative investment made by breeders over many years.
As VUA royalties flow back into breeding programs, they support the continued development of higher yielding, more resilient varieties with improved disease and stress tolerance. VUAs also help create a more competitive environment that attracts investment from breeding programs of all sizes, both public and private, to deliver varieties farmers want to use.
Some say the current system isn’t broken, and current yields may give that impression. But relying on aging genetics and declining investment is a growing risk. If things don’t change, Canadian farmers will remain at a competitive disadvantage, with fewer options than farmers in other countries. As the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition noted in its recent report, “status quo is not an option” if Canada is to remain competitive in the years ahead.
Wheat breeding is a long-term process, and the choices made today will shape Canadian agriculture for decades. That’s why I see this as a both a challenge and, as importantly, an opportunity: for all of us together to strengthen the system, support innovation, and ensure Canadian farmers remain competitive on a global stage. It starts with leadership from people like you.
