Author: cwrc2023dev

Feb. 26, 2026 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB) – 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.

Historically, farmer investment in wheat breeding has paid major dividends. Farmers received $33 in benefits for every dollar they invested in wheat breeding from 1995 to 2020, according to a recent study from the University of Saskatchewan. Since 2020, the CWRC has committed $70.5 million to western Canadian wheat breeding programs

“Western Canadian farmers are invested in the future of wheat breeding in Canada,” Velestuk says. “We must create a path forward that addresses research gaps, delivers field-ready varieties and protects our long-term investments.”

Read the full report.

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Jan. 23, 2026 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB) – The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) is deeply concerned by the news that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is eliminating 665 staff positions across the country as part of plans to slash the department’s budget by 15 per cent over the next three years.

“These staffing cuts, and related impacts at AAFC research stations, represent a tremendous loss for Canadian agriculture,” said CWRC chair Jocelyn Velestuk.

“It is a loss of not only expertise and people who have contributed to farmers’ success, but also of agricultural research capacity that is crucial to fuelling innovation and maintaining progress throughout the industry.”

AAFC has long been a key research partner that western Canadian farmers have trusted with significant investment on their behalf, including $19.9 million over three years as part of the CWRC’s current core breeding agreement (CBA) with AAFC. Canadian agriculture’s global reputation for quality and its competitiveness in international markets depends on a robust research network.

The long-term impact these staffing cuts will have and how they will be distributed is not yet clear, but the CWRC is continuing to monitor the situation. CWRC leadership is in communication with AAFC and will continue those discussions.

The CWRC engages in CBAs with AAFC, as well as the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta, investing over $9.5 million per year on behalf of western Canadian farmers. These CBAs, and other investments in public plant breeding in Canada, have generated significant returns for both farmers and the public over the last several decades.

In light of the cuts occurring at AAFC, the CWRC’s ongoing review of Canada’s wheat breeding innovation system is even more vital to ensuring the system continues to generate elite varieties for farmers across the country for many years to come.

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Sept. 11, 2025 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB) – The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) has engaged Synthesis Agri-Food Network to review Canada’s wheat breeding innovation system in an effort to safeguard its ability to serve the evolving needs of Canadian farmers.

A review of the current wheat breeding landscape will help the CWRC identify and address potential risks and opportunities in the Canadian system while ensuring it continues to generate elite varieties for farmers across the country.

“Canadian farmers need a wheat breeding innovation system that is globally competitive, prevents technology gaps and maintains choice and competition in the marketplace,” said Dean Hubbard, CWRC chair and a farmer near Claresholm, AB.

The CWRC engages in core breeding agreements (CBAs) with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta, investing over $9.5 million per year on behalf of western Canadian farmers. Since the introduction of the CBA model, farmers have become a key funding partner for public wheat breeding in Canada, with their contributions representing almost half of the estimated total public varietal research and development costs.

These CBAs, and other investments in public plant breeding in Canada, have generated significant returns for both farmers and the public over the last several decades. CWRC CBAs have resulted in the registration of more than 40 new wheat varieties across multiple wheat classes, and a recent study found that farmers received $33 in benefits for every dollar they invested in wheat breeding from 1995 to 2020.

“As farmers, we have contributed a lot of our hard-earned dollars to this important research and the CWRC must ensure those dollars are directed wherever they will produce the largest impact,” Hubbard said. “This review represents a proactive approach to ensuring farmer investments in public breeding programs continue to produce strong results we can see firsthand in our fields.”

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June 10, 2025 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB) – The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) has committed $19.9 million over the next three years to a core breeding agreement (CBA) with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for the development of field-ready wheat varieties.

The new agreement will ensure Prairie farmers can continue to access high-quality wheat varieties and associated genetics from AAFC’s breeding programs for years to come.

“This agreement is about making sure Canadian wheat farmers continue to have access to top-quality varieties that perform in the real world,” said Dean Hubbard, CWRC chair and a farmer near Claresholm, AB. “By supporting AAFC’s breeding work, we are helping tackle some of the biggest challenges on the farm, like disease, pests and tough weather, while keeping our focus on the quality standards our customers count on.”

CWRC funding via the 2025-28 CBA will support the development of field-ready Canada Western Red Spring, Canada Western Amber Durum, Canada Prairie Spring Red, Canada Western Soft White Spring and Canada Western Red Winter wheat varieties that reduce business risk and enhance competitiveness for western Canadian farmers.

AAFC will aim to develop wheat varieties with strong resistance to diseases such as Fusarium head blight, rusts and leaf spotting diseases, as well as insect pests such as orange wheat blossom midge and wheat stem sawfly. AAFC will also prioritize new varieties that can withstand adverse environmental conditions such as heat and drought stress. Strict quality standards will ensure all new varieties address market needs.

“Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have been breeding wheat for 100 years, supporting Canadian farmers in maintaining their global reputation for producing a premium product,” said the Honourable Heath MacDonald, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This investment will ensure our farmers have wheat varieties that can better overcome disease and weather challenges, and maintain Canada’s competitive advantage in cereal production.”

CWRC investment through the new CBA is divided among the organization’s founding members by a funding shares agreement. The CWRC also maintains CBAs with the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta.

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Jan. 28, 2025 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB) – The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) has committed $11.5 million over the next five years to a core breeding agreement (CBA) with the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Crop Development Centre (CDC).

The new agreement ensures continued CWRC funding for the CDC’s industry-leading wheat breeding programs, as the previous CBA concluded at the end of 2024.

“This renewed investment by the CWRC will directly benefit western Canadian farmers by supporting the development of wheat varieties with improved yields, stronger disease resistance and better adaptation to our growing conditions,” said Dean Hubbard, CWRC chair and a farmer near Claresholm, AB.

“Farmer-funded breeding programs like this ensure that producers have access to innovative, high-performing varieties that are in demand and help make their farms more productive and sustainable.”

CWRC funding via the 2025-29 CBA will support the CDC’s development of new Canadian Western Red Spring (CWRS), Canada Northern Hard Red (CNHR), Canadian Western Amber Durum (CWAD) and Canadian Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheat cultivars with strong agronomics and improved resistance to common diseases such as the wheat rusts, common bunt and Fusarium Head Blight. This funding will also support the application of genomic assisted selection across all wheat breeding programs at the CDC, a technology that is used in part to “stack” genes for disease resistance, pest resistance and end-use quality in new varieties.

“We have had a tremendously successful partnership with the CWRC and we are grateful for their continued support,” said Dr. Curtis Pozniak, CDC director and wheat breeder. “The continued investment from the CWRC will help support the CDC’s mission to deliver high-yielding and reliable wheat varieties for western Canadian farmers.”

The new agreement represents a nearly $2-million increase in funding compared with the previous five-year agreement. CWRC investment through the new CBA is divided among the organization’s founding members by a funding shares agreement.

“Over its history, innovations from USask’s CDC have significantly helped producers by enhancing the value of their operations,” said Baljit Singh, vice-president research at USask. “The CWRC’s investment will allow the CDC to continue to make positive impact in Canada’s agriculture sector and around the world.”

The CWRC also maintains CBAs with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta.

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March 6, 2024 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK; Calgary, AB) – Valuable wheat research across the country will receive crucial funding through the newly announced Canadian National Wheat Cluster, worth more than $20 million over five years.

Administered by the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), the Wheat Cluster will fund research projects that advance wheat genetics, agronomy and sustainability for the benefit of Canadian farmers.

“Wheat is a vital crop in the rotations of grain farmers across the country,” said Jake Leguee, CWRC chair, who farms near Fillmore, SK.

“The investment in research through the Wheat Cluster will keep wheat profitable and sustainable for Canadian farmers, increasing quality and yields while finding new solutions for environmental stressors like drought and diseases like Fusarium head blight. Farmers have been practicing minimum tillage and nutrient stewardship for decades, and the activities funded under this will enhance those practices, allowing farmers to contribute further to the Government of Canada’s climate targets.”

Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux announced the new Wheat Cluster this afternoon on behalf of the Hon. Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Over $11.2 million in funding for the cluster will come from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP) AgriScience program, while over $9.3 million will come from producer and private organizations from across Canada, represented by:

• Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA)
• Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat)
• Alberta Grains
• Western Grains Research Foundation
• Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance

“Canada’s reputation for world-class wheat depends on a strong research network, working together from coast to coast,” said Lori-Ann Kaminski, CWRC president and research program manager for cereal crops with MCA.

“In the previous Wheat Cluster, we made great strides toward innovations that will provide tangible benefits to Canadian wheat farmers for many years to come. I am confident the new cluster will be another triumph of teamwork across the wheat value chain.”

The CWRC is a collaboration between MCA, Sask Wheat and Alberta Grains aimed at improving the net relative profitability of wheat for western Canadian farmers.

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May 25, 2023 (Carman, MB; Saskatoon, SK;Calgary, AB) – The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) – a collaboration between the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat) and Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA) – has appointed a new president, following the transition of hosting duties from AWC to MCA.

Lori-Ann Kaminski, research program manager – cereal crops with MCA, is the new CWRC president. The president, who is appointed from the host organization and approved by the CWRC board of directors, is the key contact for external stakeholders.

The CWRC’s operational hosting duties rotate every three years between the three Prairie producer organizations who represent wheat farmers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Hosting duties include administrative functions, such as research funding co-ordination; communications activities,such as website updates and annual reports;and planning and co-ordination of CWRC’s annual general meeting.

“I would like to thank AWC, and Sask Wheat before them,for their significant contributions to build the CWRC’s success during their time as hosts,” says Kaminski.

“MCA strongly believes in the value of the collaborative approach to wheat research that the CWRC promotes and is proud to assume hosting duties for the organization overthe next three years.”

The CWRC facilitates a collaborative approach to producer support of regional and national wheat research in variety development and agronomy. This has included administering the 2018-23 Canadian National Wheat Cluster under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Canadian Agricultural Partnership and now the new 2023-28 Canadian National Wheat Cluster under AAFC’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

“This year marks the end of one successful Canadian National Wheat Cluster and the beginning of a new cluster that will lead to innovation in variety development and agronomic practices that allow Canadian wheat producers to increase the net profitability of growing wheat,” says Jake Leguee, CWRC chair and Sask Wheat vice-chair.

“There is a strong return on investment for producers investing in publicly funded wheat research in Canada, and the CWRC continues to lead the way in funding research that addresses the issues that matter most towheat producers across the country.”