Securing the future of wheat in Canada
Wheat Breeding Innovation
Producers are holding the key to the future of wheat plant breeding
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) represents the largest wheat breeding program in Canada. On average, 80 per cent of all wheat fields in Canada are planted with AAFC varieties every year. However, changes to AAFC’s wheat breeding programs over the past two decades and recently announced budget cuts threaten the sustainability, efficiency and effectiveness of AAFC programs moving forward.
The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) engaged Synthesis Agri-Food Network to review Canada’s wheat breeding innovation system to safeguard its ability to serve the evolving needs of Canadian farmers. The review featured a 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 AAFC wheat breeding program is an integral part of western Canadian wheat variety development.
AAFC represent the largest breeding program in Canada. On average, 80% of all wheat fields in Canada are planted with an AAFC variety every year.
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.
Wheat breeding is a complex and iterative process. To effectively analyze an innovation system so complex, the CWRC has examined the Canadian system along each stage of the Plant Genetics Improvement Continuum:
3. Wheat breeding is a long-term process and decisions made today will impact agriculture decades into the future
Plant breeding is an inherently long-term activity. The top CWRS and CWAD varieties by acreage planted in 2025 are the result of initial breeding crosses made between 2001 and 2009. There is an average of 13 years from initial cross to commercial release. Using these averages, breeding crosses made today will be released in 2037. While advanced breeding technologies may speed up the process, breeding is still a long-term activity.
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