b'about the progress and limitations surrounding crop development in varying political environ-ments. She will gain insight into opportunitiesTHE ACADEMIC RESEARCH BEING DONE IS SO enabled by the Plant Breeders Rights Act and hopes to promote innovations in the develop- IMPORTANT, BUT TURNING TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY ment of cutting-edge varieties to enable farmers to be more competitive in the global market. GIVES YOU FLEXIBILITY. YOU CAN TARGET TRAITS Shes fascinated by opportunities opening up in the plant-based protein sphere. FASTER.The academic research being done is so Jodi Souterimportant, but turning to private industry gives you flexibility. You can target traits faster. Its a game-changer to have that within the agricultural landscape, she says. With it, people like me will bring more diversity to crops in Canada.J4 Agri-Science is just starting up, but she has a big vision.For Souter, initiatives like signing on to The focus of my company is looking at cropsUPOV, seed regulatory modernization, the that might not have foothold in Western CanadaVariety Use Agreement (VUA) pilot program, and and using any and all technologies possible tothe effort to create Seeds Canadathe coun-take them to the next level, without worryingtrys first single national seed organizationabout established norms like public sector versuscome at a time when the country is overhauling private sector. I just want to get the job done. its agriculture industry in an attempt to compete Kofi Agblor admires that sense of fearless- Kofi Agblor haswith other parts of the world.ness, so much so that the former director for thebecome anAustralia, for example, has almost completely CDC-turned independent consultant decided toadvisor for anprivatized its wheat breeding. work with her. He has become an advisor forinternational jointThis is a business with tight margins. an International joint venture currently beingventure whichWithout the ability to regain revenue through developed, an organization which Souter is alsoJodi Souter is alsoroyalties, you stifle innovation. Part of my involved in. involved in. Nuffield study is looking at opportunities and When Agblor was director of the CDC, sheobstacles to private breeding in Canada. Other approached him with an interest in flax and fabacountries have taken other avenues for royalty bean. He showed her a U.S. study that foundcollection and the SVUA is a great step to doing the most promising crops in the protein spherethat, she says.included flax, chickpea and lentil.She also cites Canadas approach to biotech-We talked about how the protein of thenology legislationincluding a need to update future wont be from protein isolate but differ- its Plants with Novel Traits (PNT) legislation, as ent sources of grain that have enough protein tosomething that needs to be overhauled.make a 55-cent burger. She really intrigued meIf we dont clarify or responsibly modifyshe wanted to work for herself, as opposedABOUT some of those regulations, its going to hold back to graduating and getting on with a public orJODI SOUTER innovation. Were already seeing how breeders private institution. It was a really exciting attitudeBIRTHPLACE:arent targeting traits they would be if we were and one becoming more prominent in the fieldMELFORT, SASK. to modify our PNT legislation.of plant breeding, Agblor says. FAVOURITEFor Agblor, its her enthusiasm to think big in I thought, How can we help young peopleMOVIE: 8order to get the job done that excites him.like this make a go of it in plant breeding?SECONDS Shes prepared to consider any technology Unless you sign onto a bigger organization orFAVOURITEto allow her to make progress in plant breed-company, it can be hard to do. We need toFOOD:ing. In the future, breeders have to integrate encourage people like her who want to buildCHEESECAKE biotechnology. So far, they are adapting it for a career in the private sector but work forWORDS TO LIVEtheir own uses, but the future is integration. We themselves and start something of their own.BY/MOTTO:can no longer just use biotech once in a while The more of those people we have, the better.COFFEE INwhen it comes in handythe future is using it ONE HAND, Theyre the ones who really encourage newCOURAGE INin tandem with all our other technologies, he innovation. THE OTHER. adds. SEPTEMBER 2020 GERMINATION.CA 23'