Cereal Canada New Crop Missions deliver top quality news to Canadian wheat customers

Feb 13, 2024

Cereals Canada has wrapped up its annual New Crop Trade and Technical Missions updating customers in 17 countries on the quality of the 2023 wheat crop.

Elaine Sopiwnyk, vice president of technical services for Cereals Canada says despite challenging growing conditions last year that led to variable yields and below-average production, Canadian farmers grew almost 30 million tonnes of high-quality wheat.

"Over 95 per cent of CWRS graded #1 and #2 with average protein content. In terms of Durum wheat or CWAD, we saw that over 80 per cent graded #1 and #2 with protein content that was higher than average. For CPSR we saw that over 90 per cent graded #1 and #2 with average protein content."

The 2023 New Crop Trade and Technical Missions saw four delegations of Cereal Canada trade and technical experts, exporters, Canadian Grain Commissioners, and grower representatives take that message of the Canadian crop out to customers.

Dean Hubbard a farmer from Claresholm and director with Alberta Grains met with customers in Algeria, Italy, Morocco, and the U.K.

A key message he took away was how much our international customers value and rely on the quality of the grain they receive.

"Canada is a very significant supplier into these markets and they anticipate continued steady demand from our grain. As I heard several times 'There's no other grain like Canadian grain. We're in a class by ourselves.' You know, to hear that made me feel very proud. "

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Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?