Wheat varieties are performing better than ever, but a “slow drip” of budget cuts means the next generation of innovation is at a critical crossroads.
Wheat varieties that deliver high yields, exceptional quality and strong disease packages are available in abundant choice to Manitoba farmers. This choice and performance are thanks to an often-overlooked wheat breeding innovation system.
“Wheat is one of my favourite crops to grow; it can withstand whatever the year throws at it,” says Jocelyn Velestuk, chair of the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC). “In past decades that hasn’t always been the case.”
There’s lots of variables driving the success of wheat in Western Canada, but Velestuk is adamant that the foundation of that success is our wheat breeding programs. “We can’t take that system for granted and right now, it’s at risk,” she says.
While the varieties available today are excellent, the process of plant breeding means those successes are built on efforts made over 10 years ago. The average time from initial cross to commercialization for a wheat variety is 13 years. Wheat breeding is a long-term process and takes stable investment.
The CWRC has been studying the current plant breeding system and has identified some significant gaps and risks, which are outlined in a report that was released in February 2026.
“Our largest breeding program has seen a slow drip of budget cuts going back nearly two decades,” Velestuk says, referencing the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) wheat breeding program. “The latest budget cuts exasperate an already compromised system. It’s really clear that the status quo is not an option.”
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