ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 29 RESEARCH stepping down from the CSGA, Miller never encountered anyone from the private sector who said, “These cuts are great news for our business!” Instead, there was concern voiced that registration trial capacity at research farms could be limited. Research and breeding into public varieties of wheat, he adds, will probably be fine. But oats, barley, triticale, pulses and forages will face significant barriers against developing newer varieties to deal with climate change or emerging disease threats. “We still have producers in this country growing forages from the 1950s,” says Miller, contrasting the budget cuts against the resilience built into publicly-bred seed. “In the last two years, I’ve spent more time trying to replenish breeder stock of varieties bred in the 1950s and ‘60s because they are still economically viable for Canadian producers. What does that tell you about the state of investment in those crop kinds?” OPTIMISM BRINGS OPPORTUNITY From his position as the new chief executive director with Seeds Canada, Dan Wright views the nation’s seed sector as a “bin-halffull” scenario. He acknowledges the challenges of the AAFC cuts and the upcoming negotiations tied to the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), and he believes challenges have a habit of creating opportunities. “Whenever there’s a challenge, it creates an opportunity to solve the challenge – and that is not unique to agriculture,” says Wright. “The awesome thing about agriculture is that every year, there are challenges. Of all industries, agriculture’s ability to flex and deal with challenges – be it weather or anything else – is in the DNA of people in the industry.” As for defining opportunities and referring and thinking only of expansion or growth, Wright notes that innovation isn’t bound by large investments or infrastructure; it may come in adapting different management practices. Innovation can be a new business model or a tweak to conventional thinking or a shift that creates value for consumers. Even though it isn’t always easy or with outcomes that are immediate, the changes that result may be for the better. Echoing Miller’s comments about a perceived public-private division, Wright agrees the AAFC research station closures could hurt both sides. A lot of Seeds Canada members sell AAFC varieties or benefit from research into disease traits and agronomics, he adds. “As we work with government on these changes, it’s important to focus on the output of the work,” says Wright. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s public or private; we represent the seed industry and it’s important to have an environment that creates choice. Choice means more competition and more competition for farmers is a really good day.” One certainty for public-sector research and development is the need for diligence moving forward. Little can be done to dissuade the federal government from the decision to close the seven research stations. But Josh Cowan, director of research and innovation with Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), believes the entire agri-food sector must guard against further erosion of public sector research programs. “This round of cuts is just one of the things that’s happened within AAFC but there are also shifts within the department concerning the role they play in plant breeding, depending on parts of the country,” he says. “The reality is, producers need seed and continually improved seed. We need to make sure the research ecosystem exists to continue to deliver that appropriately in Canada.” From the Grain Farmers of Ontario's perspective, it’s the significance of the need for funded research to address farmer priorities that has to be the focus, yet that strategy and vision for the future is not always clear in the public sector, particularly as funding programs begin to “cap-out”. A better-funded research community is required to ensure Canadian farmers and the agrifood system get to a next level. “We need a properly-funded research ecosystem in Canada,” adds Cowan. “That includes plant breeding. Seed is really important and we need to make sure we prioritize it appropriately.” IN OTHER SEED SECTOR NEWS To follow on the “challenges-lead-to-opportunities” outlook, Miller notes one of the key enhancements during his time at the CSGA was digitizing the certification process. When he started at the Association in 2011, it was 109 years old and its paper-based system meant a three- to four-week process from inspection to certification. Within two years, that turnaround was streamlined to two days, and now with the CSGA’s AI tools - seconds. Other advances Miller has overseen is the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) seed regulatory modernization initiative, redefining the CSGA’s partnership with the federal agency. There’s also the modernized governance model at the Association, creating a more open and inclusive organization, and helping to encourage sustainability and traceability throughout the food value chain. Looking ahead to another challenge for the seed sector, Wright points to the upcoming CUSMA negotiations and their potential impact on Canadian growers. An example is how corn and soybeans are intertwined in a North American research and development effort, and ensuring Canada’s seed sector is connected with the U.S. is important, given the cross-border exchange of seed. It’s understood that both Canada and the U.S. want the current system to remain as is, which doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be certain challenges that must be highlighted. There have been issues the U.S. negotiators have raised as “trade irritants” and those require a proactive approach to ensure Canadian negotiators understand the needs of the Canadian and North American seed sector. •
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