WGRF Names Wayne Thompson as New Executive Director

Aug 19, 2022

Wayne Thompson has been announced as the new executive director of the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF), an Aug. 18 news release said. Thompson will be replacing Garth Patterson, who officially retires at the end of the year following 11 years in the position.

“I am looking forward to the challenge. I have an engaged group of Directors and a tremendous team in the office to work with. WGRF is a leader in agriculture research, and I will work to ensure that WGRF continues to fund crop research to benefit western Canadian grain farmers,” Thompson said in the release.

Thompson worked as the executive director of the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission for the past eight years, and the president of the Flax Council of Canada for the last two years. Previous to that he had worked as research program manager for WGRF. He has also worked with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and as the executive director of Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association.

Thompson will start his new role with WGRF on Dec. 1, 2022.

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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.

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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?