FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Saskatoon, SK – The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is encouraging a national conversation about the future of Canada’s wheat breeding system with the publication of a new opinion article by Executive Director Darcy Pawlik in RealAgriculture.
Titled “The Problem Isn’t the Cuts. It’s the System.”, the article argues that the discussion surrounding Canada’s public wheat breeding capacity should move beyond annual budget decisions and instead focus on creating a long-term delivery model that strengthens innovation, competitiveness and farmer outcomes.
“The conversation has become centred on budget reductions, but that’s treating the symptom rather than the underlying issue,” said Pawlik. “The real opportunity is to ask whether Canada’s breeding system is structured to deliver the greatest possible value for farmers over the next fifty years.”
The article highlights successful international approaches, including the United States, Australia and Europe, noting that while each has developed differently, they share common characteristics: sustainable funding, professional management, strong farmer influence, reinvestment into innovation and effective collaboration between public and private partners.
Rather than advocating that Canada simply adopt another country’s model, the Wheat Growers believe Canada should build on proven international successes while designing a system that reflects Canadian priorities.
“Canada has every ingredient needed to become a global leader in cereal breeding,” Pawlik said. “Our focus should be on learning from what works around the world and building a system that allows public science, industry and farmers to work together more effectively.”
The Wheat Growers emphasize that the discussion is not about reducing public science, but about ensuring public research has the resources, partnerships and structure needed to deliver the next generation of innovations for Canadian farmers.
“Our goal should be simple,” said Pawlik. “Strengthen discovery. Improve commercialization. Increase competitiveness. If we achieve those things, Canadian farmers and the entire agriculture sector will benefit.”
The full opinion article, “The Problem Isn’t the Cuts. It’s the System.”, is available through RealAgriculture.
Media Contact
Darcy Pawlik
Executive Director
Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association
dpawlik@wheatgrowers.ca
306-361-5667
About the Wheat Growers
Founded in 1970, the Wheat Growers is a voluntary farmer-run advocacy organization dedicated to developing public policy solutions that strengthen the profitability and sustainability of farming, and the agricultural industry as a whole.
For more information please visit: wheatgrowers.ca. Click here to see who is helping to advocate for grain farmers.