About CWRC
2025-26
Annual Report
Leading western Canadian wheat breeding innovation
Message from our Leadership
Lori-Ann Kaminski
When I was appointed Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) president a year ago, I never could have imagined what an incredible journey it would be. CWRC’s wheat breeding innovation project has been one of those rare opportunities to be part of something significant, with the potential to create a lasting, positive impact for Canada’s wheat industry and the farmers who drive it forward.
Over the past year, I was proud to work alongside farmers, directors and staff from our member organizations as we advanced a shared vision. The CWRC team is exceptional. Our directors are engaged, thoughtful and willing to tackle difficult questions, all while making room for laughter and camaraderie.
I also had the opportunity to strengthen connections with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, build relationships with stakeholders across the value chain and help position CWRC’s staff and directors to focus their time and expertise where it matters most. Through guest speakers and industry discussions, we expanded our understanding of Canada’s wheat breeding and innovation system.
As CWRC approaches its 10th anniversary in 2027, it stands as a testament to the strength of our three founding organizations working together toward a common goal. I am pleased to welcome Sask Wheat executive director Blair Goldade as the CWRC’s next president. We’ve worked closely over the past several months to ensure a seamless transition and maintain our momentum.
CWRC’s foundation has never been stronger, and I am confident the organization’s greatest achievements are still to come.
Jocelyn Velestuk
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” This quote from James Baldwin neatly summarizes the work of the CWRC in 2025-26, a year that arguably introduced the most changes for the organization since it was formed in 2017.
The largest change extends from the CWRC board’s determination that the current wheat breeding innovation system is no longer working, which followed a comprehensive review of the Canadian wheat breeding system that we completed last fall. After many in-depth conversations around the CWRC board table featuring farmers and staff in the know about wheat breeding, we concluded that a decline in federal breeding investment coupled with an increase in farmer funding without any additional say in the process had created a need for change. Many meetings have been held since, at the board table and with external stakeholders from across the industry, as part of our efforts to lead the transformation of the Canadian wheat breeding system.
Most stakeholders agree that the ideal system is one that works for farmers, works for the industry and works for Canada. The process of getting there will not be straightforward or without challenges, but on our farms, we deal with big decisions and solve big problems daily. Who better than farmers to take on a project of this magnitude?
In closing, I’d like to thank Synthesis Agri-Food Network for their support this past year. I would also like to send a big thank-you to our outgoing CWRC president Pam de Roquigny, who took on the role on top of her commitments as CEO of Manitoba Crop Alliance, as well as our other CWRC staff, many of whom are also executing valuable CWRC work above and beyond the responsibilities of their commission roles. Lastly, I want to thank our CWRC farmer board of directors for their care and commitment to the industry and passion for creating something better for generations to come.
Board of Directors
Jocelyn Velestuk
Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
Tasha Alexander
Alberta Grains
Scott Mowbray
Manitoba Crop Alliance
Pam de Rocquigny
Manitoba Crop Alliance
Dave Bishop
Dean Hubbard
Jake Leguee
Rob Stone
Robert Misko
CWRC Activities
Wheat Breeding Innovation
In September 2025, the CWRC launched a review of the Canadian wheat breeding innovation system in an effort to safeguard its ability to serve the evolving needs of Canadian farmers. The review was designed to identify and address potential risks and opportunities in the Canadian system – ensuring it continues to generate elite varieties for farmers across the country – while contributing to achievement of one of the CWRC’s strategic plan goals: “Proactively determine the optimal model for wheat breeding and commercialization in Canada.”
As part of the review, Synthesis Agri Food Network conducted interviews with 29 stakeholders between September and October 2025. Many stakeholders expressed concerns about the limitations of the current variety registration system. There was broad support for the system’s objectives, but many participants identified opportunities for improvement to ensure it remains accessible to all seed developers and continues to serve farmers effectively.
In April 2026, the CWRC hosted an industry visioning workshop featuring stakeholders directly engaged in wheat and barley plant breeding in Western Canada. The goal was to co-develop a shared vision of the optimal future of western Canadian wheat and barley plant breeding. All participants agreed on the following shared vision for the future:
The western Canadian wheat and barley plant breeding system is thriving and innovation driven, where collaboration and competition coexist to attract diverse investment and provide farmers with choice in superior, field-ready varieties that meet the needs of our end use customers.
The path forward to achieving this shared vision is still fluid, but the convened stakeholders identified nine guiding principles that can be used to evaluate options and decisions that lead the sector towards the future. Those principles can be found here.
The CWRC is currently exploring options to transform Canada’s wheat breeding innovation system. Discussions with AAFC are ongoing and the CWRC is engaging all stakeholders throughout the process. The goal is a system that works for farmers, works for the industry and works for Canada.
In February 2026, the CWRC announced the conclusion of the review and released its findings in a public report, which highlighted three crucial facts about the current wheat breeding landscape in Western Canada:
- The Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) wheat breeding program is an integral part of western Canadian wheat variety development.
- The current wheat breeding system is at risk from recent and historic budget cuts, especially at the variety development and pre-market evaluation stages.
- Wheat breeding is a long-term process and decisions made today will impact agriculture decades into the future.
Wheat Breeding Innovation Project Timeline
Core Breeding Agreements
In 2021, the CWRC started providing funding for wheat breeding at four public breeding programs in Western Canada through five-year Core Breeding Agreements (CBAs):
- The University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Crop Development Centre (CDC) – spring wheat and durum
- Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) – spring wheat, winter wheat and durum
- The University of Alberta – spring wheat
- The University of Manitoba – winter wheat and a Fusarium head blight (FHB) screening nursery for all wheats
The CBAs with the CDC and AAFC are ongoing after renewals in 2025. The CWRC renewed its CBA with the University of Manitoba effective April 1, 2026, committing $3.1 million over five years (2026 – 2031) to support the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant and cold-hardy Canada Western Red Winter wheat varieties, as well as the Fusarium head blight screening nursery that supports wheat breeding programs across Western Canada.
The CWRC is also in the process of negotiating a renewed CBA with the University of Alberta. The current CBA ends in December 2026.
Highlights
USask CDC
- A continuation of the collaboration between the CDC and CWRC to benefit producers and support the CDC’s wheat breeding capacity in Western Canada.
- Continued production of Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS), Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) and Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) varieties supported for registration.
- Two CWRS candidate lines (PT5019 and BW5135) were supported for variety registration. One durum line (DT1043) was supported for registration at the 2026 Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale meetings.
University of Alberta
- Continued production of CWRS and CPSR varieties.
- One CWRS line (BW5123) recommended for registration.
AAFC
- A three-year agreement to align the CBA with the next Wheat Cluster expected to start on April 1, 2028.
- A multi-disciplinary approach to the production of field ready varieties.
- Continued production of field ready wheat varieties in CWRS, CPSR, CWAD and Canada Western Red Winter (CWRW), as well as some effort toward other minor classes when exceptional opportunities arise.
- During 2025-26, AAFC breeders were successful in adding the following new wheat varieties/lines: W678 (CWRW), HY2168, BW5131 and BW5134 (CWRS).
University of Manitoba
- Renewed CBA effective April 1, 2026.
- Continued production of CWRW varieties.
- Provision of an FHB nursery for all wheats.
- Four years after the transition to a new breeder, the program has two new CWRW varieties recommended for registration.
Canadian National Wheat Cluster (2023 – 2028)
The CWRC administers the current Canadian National Wheat Cluster (CNWC), which is aimed at ensuring profitability for producers and the long-term sustainability of wheat in the cropping rotation. Funding for the 2023-28 CNWC – totaling more than $20 million over five years – comes from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) AgriScience program, as well as several producer and private organizations across Canada.
There are three priority areas that guide the research activities funded through the cluster:
CER and Research Impacts
Financials
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