A decision by Alberta Pulse Growers to pull its research funding from Canada’s main pulse breeding program in Canada is “short sighted,” says the head of the program.
“Maybe Alberta Pulse Growers want a free ride because most of the pea varieties grown in Alberta, and lentils, are from here,” said Kofi Agblor, managing director of the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“To not make any contribution for that is not justified.”
Alberta Pulse has said it plans to cut its funding to help level the playing field and encourage more pulse research.
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The organization believes independent pulse breeders have been discouraged from pulse breeding research because they can’t compete against the CDC’s research program, which doesn’t charge royalties for its pulse varieties.
Agblor said pulling the funding won’t encourage more research. Instead, it will cost Alberta pulse producers more money for seed.
“At the end of the day, you need a sizable market in acres for any breeder to spend a lot of money and hoping you can get a return,” said Agblor.
“The idea that an open market in every instance is what works may not be true. I am as right wing as Margaret Thatcher, my friends will tell you, but I also understand you have to be pragmatic, and there are certain models that don’t fit everything.”
Alberta grows 1.8 million acres of pulses, Saskatchewan grows 5.8 million acres and Manitoba is expected to grow 200,000 acres of peas and lentils this year.
“We are the only breeding program in North America releasing lentil varieties,” Agblor said. “To summarily say you are going to spur breeding by a royalty system, I don’t know how many people are waiting to jump into lentil breeding tomorrow after the decision.”
Alberta contributed $70,000 to pulse research at the CDC last year compared to $2 million by Sask-atchewan Pulse Growers.
During the announcement to pull its funding, Alberta Pulse chair Allison Ammeter said the organization was frustrated by how little influence it has on varieties developed at the CDC.
Instead of pulling the funding, Agblor said Alberta officials should have called him to discuss different funding models to allow Alberta growers more say in varietal research.
“I don’t remember the last time we had a discussion at the CDC directly with APG, where they sought ways to increase investment and participate in the program in a meaningful way.”
Agblor said the CDC has different funding and royalty structure models for different crops, depending on the investment.
SPG provides the research centre with enough money to breed new pulse varieties so that farmers don’t need to pay royalties, he added, but other crops have different funding and royalty models.
Agblor said he encouraged Alberta Pulse executive director Leanne Fischbuch last year to increase its funding to allow a say in variety research.
“$70,000 doesn’t get you any decision making. I told them, ‘put money in and come and sit on the front end,’ ” he said.
“What they are doing now is buying seed. They are buying the results of the research and hope those varieties will do well. I told them, if you are to invest up front, then we could do more trialing in Alberta and select lines that are more suited for Alberta.”
Crosby Devitt, executive director of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, said he doesn’t know if any of his association’s members are about to invest in pulse research. The checkoffs paid by producers have traditionally funded public sector research.
“The way that is structured and the relatively smaller acres compared to canola, there is less incentive on the private side to put money into breeding programs,” said Devitt. “They look at the market size and my ability to sell seed every year.”
