Driving $17.8 billion in farm output, the Crop Development Centre proves public research pays big dividends.
Walk onto a Prairie farm, and there’s nearly a 1-in-2 chance the seeds in the ground trace back to one place: the Crop Development Centre (CDC) in Saskatoon.
That’s not marketing spin. It’s math.
According to a new economic impact report by EY Canada, 43% of Canada’s entire seed market is made up of CDC-developed varieties. That includes nearly every lentil grown in the country (99.8%), half the barley, and a meteoric rise in durum wheat adoption — from 6% to 42% in just five years.
“We’ve known the CDC was influential,” says CDC manager Marissa Janssen. “But 43%? That’s a national footprint — and a reminder that public research still has the power to lead markets.”
Janssen, originally from the Netherlands and trained in law and HR, took the stage today at the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) meeting in Victoria, B.C., to walk seed growers through just how deep the CDC’s impact goes. Her message was simple but urgent: the CDC isn’t just relevant — it’s dominant. And it’s still growing.
The Power Behind the Acreage
Founded in 1971 and housed at the University of Saskatchewan, the CDC is a multidisciplinary plant breeding powerhouse that merges agronomic science with real-world utility. Its secret? A tight integration between research and breeding, allowing for discoveries to be deployed straight into the seed pipeline without delay.
That’s how it’s landed varieties across Western Canada — and made itself a household name among seed growers. But what makes the 43% stat even more compelling is what lies beneath it.
Since 1991, CDC-bred varieties have:
- Generated $17.8 billion in gross farm output
- Created nearly 7,000 full-time jobs
- Contributed $1.2 billion to Western Canada’s GDP
- Delivered up to $37 in return for every $1 invested, particularly in lentils
“This is impact at scale,” Jenson said. “It’s food security, economic growth, and farmer profitability rolled into one.”
The Breeders Behind the Boom
Behind that 43% is a growing roster of scientific heavyweights. There’s Dr. Curtis Pozniak, CDC director and global leader in durum wheat. Dr. Ana Vargas, driving lentil and faba bean innovation. Dr. Adam Carter and Pierre Hucl, specialists in wheat, canary seed and cereals. And more are on the way, including a soon-to-be-named chair in applied genomics and pre-breeding, thanks to support from the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission.
They’re not just breeders, Janssen said. They’re market makers.
The Infrastructure to Stay Ahead
To maintain that 43% market share — and maybe push it even higher — the CDC is expanding fast. It recently acquired land near Aberdeen and has broken ground on the Harrington Plant Growth Facility, a cutting-edge complex on the U of S campus. Set for completion in 2026, it will provide year-round breeding environments, advanced disease testing chambers, and enhanced training infrastructure.
“This space will expand research capacity, provide critical controlled environment growth rooms and provide year round breeding capacity, and it will strengthen our teaching and training infrastructure. These infrastructure enhancements will help us reduce disease pressure as our pathology groups will utilize this these new growth chambers essential for controlled environment testing of disease resistance,” said Janssen.
“It will allow us to expand our export capacity, strengthening the global food system and support sustainable agriculture through varieties needing fewer inputs and more resilient to weather stress. These facilities will be instrumental in advancing critical agricultural research and will set the stage for addressing global challenges as we aim to be with the university needs it aims to be the university the world needs.”
Why 43% is More Than Just a Stat
Sure, 43% market share looks good in a PowerPoint. But it’s what that number represents that matters: a trusted, farmer-focused model for innovation. One that’s delivering varieties that resist drought, require fewer inputs, meet premium market specs, and support sustainability in a changing climate.
It also signals a win for public science — a reminder that world-class impact doesn’t require Silicon Valley flash. Sometimes it comes from a plant science department in Saskatchewan, putting tools into the hands of growers season after season.
“It’s an honour to be part of this team. The dedication and passion I witness every day is what drives our success. We’ll keep working to be a world class centre, developing varieties, sharing our knowledge and delivering results.”
Because if the CDC has shown anything, it’s this: You don’t need to be everywhere to shape an industry. You just need to be the best at what you do — and make sure your seeds get into the right hands.
—This article is based on a live presentation delivered at today’s meeting of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association in Victoria, B.C.
