Canada’s public plant breeding needs a new structure says Jason Reinheimer
The GIFS CEO calls for a farmer-led company and fewer barriers to investment, arguing Canada has enough information to start moving.
Canada can preserve public plant breeding while changing the structure behind it, says Jason Reinheimer. In fact, he believes those changes could make its impact stronger.
In Season 3, Episode 9 of On The Brink, the CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security lays out two priorities: form a farmer-led company to help guide the future of breeding, and create an environment that welcomes investment from both Canadian and international companies.
His message is that Canada has enough information to take its first steps. Continuing to wait, he says, puts the people, investment and breeding material already in the system at greater risk.
Public plant breeding can evolve without losing its value
“I don’t believe preserving public plant breeding necessarily means we need to maintain the current structure that we have,” Reinheimer says.
He acknowledges that the existing model has served Canadian farmers well. But he does not believe that past success means the same structure will meet their future needs.
“I think there is certainly ways where we can not only preserve, but enhance the impact of public breeding.”
Reinheimer brings experience from both research and commercial breeding. According to GIFS, he previously led cereals and pulses research at Limagrain Field Seeds and held senior breeding and research roles at Australian Grain Technologies. He also grew up on a grain farm in Australia’s Wimmera region.
What attracts him to Canada is the combination of investment, innovation and talent already here. He sees those strengths as a foundation to build on as the country considers how its breeding system should evolve.
A farmer-led company could guide future breeding
Reinheimer’s first recommendation is to form a farmer-led company. He points to Australia, where he says farmer-owned breeding companies have helped bring local industry needs into breeding decisions.
“This organization should take the lead on preserving the great investment that’s been done in public breeding until now,” he says.
In his proposed model, farmers would help direct future breeding priorities while existing public breeding activity transitions into a structure guided and owned by farmers.
That would give growers a role in shaping the work behind future varieties. The emphasis is on keeping breeding connected to farmers’ needs while preserving the value of research already underway.
The episode sets out that direction without detailing how ownership, funding or governance would be arranged.
Make room for Canadian and international investment
His second recommendation is to build an environment that attracts a wider range of participants.
“So really ensure that there’s no barriers to entry for anyone who wants to come and play,” he says. “So that includes both local companies and international companies to come and invest in Canada.”
Alongside a farmer-led company, Reinheimer wants room for other businesses to invest and develop breeding activity in Canada. His proposal combines a stronger role for farmers with an open invitation to companies that want to contribute.
Waiting carries risks for Canada’s breeding system
“I think we’ve done enough consultation to know enough for us to make the first steps,” Reinheimer says.
Plant breeding is a long-term endeavour. He warns that the investment, people and germplasm already developed could lose value if they are not supported through the transition.
His call for action follows a similar concern raised by Lauren Benoit in Episode 8. After studying agricultural research systems abroad, Benoit argued that Canada could make a decision, learn from it and adapt, rather than keep waiting for every question to be answered.
For Reinheimer, the next steps are clear: give farmers a leading role, welcome investment and begin moving the system forward.
Watch Jason Reinheimer in On The Brink, Season 3, Episode 9, for his perspective on the future of public plant breeding in Canada.
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On the Brink is a cross-country storytelling project about plant breeding in Canada. The goal is to spark an open, multi-perspective, ongoing conversation about what’s possible, what’s at stake, and how to seize opportunities ahead. On the Brink releases new episodes every Wednesday. Watch Episode 6 featuring Andrew Campbell and subscribe to have future episodes delivered directly to your inbox.
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