Why we Have to Act Now to Future-Proof Wheat Breeding in Canada

Canada’s wheat industry is at a crossroads. For decades, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has been the cornerstone of wheat breeding in Western Canada. In fact, many of the top-performing wheat varieties in virtually every class originate from AAFC programs, notes Rob Graf, science advisor for SeedNet and himself a former wheat breeder for AAFC who bred such game-changing varieties as AAC Wildfire.

During his years with AAFC, he witnessed firsthand a changing plant breeding landscape where government is gradually pulling back from field-ready cultivar development, and he says action is needed now to ensure a plan can be developed that will allow for a health future for wheat breeding.

“Without action, there’s a real risk of falling behind global competitors. We have to act now to establish a funding model and create an environment that attracts investment and innovation,” Graf says.

AAFC is increasingly focusing on prioritizing upstream research and needs to move from being a direct competitor to an innovation partner along the breeding continuum, says Francois Eudes, national AAFC science lead for the breeding innovation and crop germplasm development portfolio. He also serves as director of research, development and technology of the Science and Technology Branch at AAFC for sites located in Alberta.

“AAFC remains deeply committed to plant breeding. What’s happening is a shift in how we contribute. This doesn’t mean we’re abandoning breeding; it means we’re evolving our role to work together with partners to ensure innovations make it to the market without breaking the innovation pipeline.”

While this research is vital, the looming challenge is clear: Who will lead the way in field-ready cultivar development in Canada?

The absence of a clear strategy could jeopardize the future competitiveness of Canada’s wheat industry, Graf says. Farmers are at the heart of this conversation, he notes. They rely on advanced wheat genetics to improve yields, enhance disease resistance, and withstand increasingly unpredictable climate conditions. But advancing these innovations requires long-term, sustainable funding on par with our main competitors.