Industry groups say clearer funding models, shared infrastructure and long-term planning are essential to sustain innovation.
–This story is Part 3 of 3. For the first instalment, click here. For Part 2 click here.
The debate over plant breeding in Canada has long oscillated between public and private camps. But most industry leaders now reject the binary framing.
“The future has to enable both,” says Brent Derkatch, president and CEO of Canterra Seeds. Foundational, pre-competitive research, he argues, is best conducted in a public setting. It produces the raw materials of innovation and serves a broad public good. From there, both public and private breeding programs can build and compete.
Equally important is clarity around roles. Who funds what? Who manages which sites? How are returns on innovation distributed? And how are public goods preserved while private investment is incentivised?
Industry leaders speak of moving beyond five-year funding cycles toward longer-term frameworks aligned with the 10-to-15-year timelines of breeding programs.
“It’s about building something sustainable,” adds Jocelyn Velestuk, chair of the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition. “Breeding is long-term work. The system needs to reflect that.”
Lessons From Other Sectors
Some see parallels in other infrastructure-heavy sectors. Jeff Reid, SeCan general manager, points to airport authorities as a potential model: federally owned land and infrastructure managed by independent authorities operating with greater flexibility.
“We can’t replace federal infrastructure,” he says. “But maybe we can staff and manage activities there more efficiently.”
Consultations are underway. Industry meetings, including those of the Prairie Grain Development Committee, have become focal points for discussion. National organizations such as Seeds Canada and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture are pressing the issue in Ottawa. Grain Growers of Canada is encouraging research growth.
“There’s solidarity across the industry,” Reid says. “That’s encouraging.”
The Retailer’s Stake
The Canadian system has, until now, delivered a steady stream of elite varieties. What would signal that the system is back on track?
For Derkatch, clarity is paramount: clear delineation of foundational and finishing roles, transparent funding frameworks and evidence that Canada remains attractive to talent and capital.
For Velestuk, it is stability aligned with breeding timelines. “A long-term view,” she says.
For Reid, it is collaboration in action: industry staff co-located on federal sites, shared use of infrastructure, and a sense that short-term crises have been transformed into long-term reforms.
“This isn’t about panic,” Reid insists. “Change happens in every industry. The question is whether we use this moment to build something stronger.”
Key takeaways from the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition’s report on Canada’s wheat breeding system:
- Canada’s wheat breeding system is at a critical juncture. Recent and historic budget cuts to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) programs are putting the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of wheat breeding at risk.
- AAFC remains the backbone of Canadian wheat breeding. About 80% of wheat acres in Canada are planted with AAFC-developed varieties, underscoring the program’s central role in western Canadian wheat production.
- Farmers are major investors in wheat innovation. Through the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), farmers have invested $70.5 million since 2020 in federal and university wheat breeding programs, including $19.9 million into AAFC (2025–2028) and $16 million into universities.
- The current system needs reform. The CWRC review concluded that the status quo is no longer sufficient to maintain a strong wheat breeding innovation system for Western Canada.
- Future solutions must close system gaps. Any new approach must strengthen the plant genetics improvement pipeline, especially in variety development and pre-market evaluation.
- CWRC is exploring system transformation. The coalition is working with AAFC and other stakeholders to reimagine the wheat breeding innovation system and protect farmers’ long-term investments while ensuring Canada remains competitive in global wheat markets.
Click here to read the full CWRC report.
