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Western Canadian producers invest $2.4 million in barley breeding

Sept. 12, 2016 - Alberta Barley, the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley), the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) and the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) have announced a commitment of over $2.4 million to the barley variety development program at the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC).

“Producers have played an important role in funding barley variety development,” says Dave Sefton, WGRF chair. “Since 1995 producers have invested almost $15 million into barley variety development through the Western Grains Research Foundation. Renewing our agreement with the CDC and having all of the prairie barley commissions and associations investing together is an important step to ensuring producers continue to get good value for their check-offs.”

CDC has released more than 70 malt, feed and food barley varieties since 1971, including Harrington, CDC Copeland and CDC Austenson. In the past five years alone, the program has released new malting varieties, including CDC Clear (2011), CDC Bow (2014), CDC Platinum Star (2014) and TR12135 (to be named CDC Fraser), in 2015.

“We are extremely pleased to have the three provincial commissions joining WGRF in supporting barley breeding at the CDC, demonstrating continued producer support for research targeting improved yield, disease resistance, and malt quality,” adds Kofi Agblor, managing director of the CDC. “This funding provides stability to the program for maintaining long-term, highly qualified technical staff, as well as resources for marker development and use in the breeding program.”

September 12, 2016  By Top Crop Manager