Will Agriculture Canada continue with wheat breeding and varietal development if a new royalty system is introduced?
A number of farmers at a Nov.16 meeting in Winnipeg about potential changes to the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act asked that question to Agriculture Canada staff.
The answer wasn’t precise. It could be summed up as, “yes, but.…”
“It’s not kind of black and white,” said Carla St. Croix, director of innovation and growth policy with Agriculture Canada.
“Right now AAFC is in all aspects of wheat. There is no intent to depart…. (But) as there is a space and partnerships are built and if there is this investment model that comes into place and private sector partners have capacity (money) … it may afford the opportunity for AAFC to reassess … and start to move its capacity (money) more upstream.”
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So, if private firms step up and invest in wheat breeding, Agriculture Canada could do more fundamental research on wheat. However, the federal budget for cereal crop development will be the same, St. Croix said.
“There is no intent to decrease funding.”
