b'3 INNOVATORS TO WATCHJODI SOUTERDOING IT HER WAYJodi Souter wants to change the way the world looks at Canadian plant breeding. WHEN MOST PEOPLEthink of plant breeding in Canada they think of an academic institution, or government, says 32-year-old Jodi Souter, based in Saskatoon, Sask. If we dont change that perception, were going to hold back innovation and that innovation will go elsewhere.For her, the beginning of this mission began with the creation of her own plant breeding startup, J4 Agri-Science. Through it she intends to support activities for crop devel-opment, scientific research and industry expansion.I consider myself an independent breeder, she says. Im targeting crops and breeding them through my com-pany and not through a public institution. Its a different mindset. Other countries already do it this way and its time we did more of it in Canada, too.Souter is not quite sure where her independent streak comes from. It may have started growing up on the family mixed grain and beef farm in Saskatchewan, or while working to obtain her PhD in plant biology from the University of Saskatchewan. Being a competitive distance runner may have helped, too.Wherever it came from, its something thats guided Souter for years.I took a breeding class with Curtis Pozniak at the Crop Development Centre (CDC). It didnt take me many classes to know I really wanted to be a plant breeder, she says.For Souter, whats making it possible to be a truly independent breeder in Canada is the headway made in recent years with regard to Plant Breeders Rights legisla-tion. Canada signing on to UPOV 91 was a big deal for her. In her view, the doors are opening to do new kinds of breeding that put Canada on the map as an attractive place to innovate.Future opportunities for Canadas crop sector are limitless. As part of her Nuffield project, she plans to learn more 22GERMINATION.CASEPTEMBER 2020'