CWRC review of Canadian wheat breeding innovation system confirms significant gaps and risks

Feb 26, 2026

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) has completed its review of the Canadian wheat breeding innovation system.

The review, which was conducted by Synthesis Agri-Food Network, featured comprehensive analysis of related reports and studies, as well as interviews with 29 key stakeholders. This process confirmed three crucial facts about the current wheat breeding landscape in Western Canada:

1. The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) wheat breeding program is an integral part of western Canadian wheat variety development.

2. The current wheat breeding system is at risk from recent and historic budget cuts, especially at the variety development and pre-market evaluation stages.

3. Wheat breeding is a long-term process and decisions made today will impact agriculture decades into the future.

“It’s clear that the status quo is not a viable path forward,” says CWRC chair Jocelyn Velestuk, CWRC chair and a farmer near Broadview, SK. “Our system has been incredibly productive for farmers and for the sector but it’s no longer working. Securing the future of wheat in Canada requires a reimagining of our wheat breeding innovation system.”

The CWRC is currently exploring options to transform Canada’s wheat breeding innovation system. Discussions are underway with AAFC and the CWRC is committed to engaging all stakeholders throughout the process.

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Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

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