Grainswest - Fall 2026

Fall 2026 grainswest.com 17 BY IAN DOIG • ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY CHU Seeds Canada CEO promotes system that works for breeders, farmers and retailers The need for seed D an Wright has one word for ag professionals who aspire to serve their industry in lead- ership roles: start. “Whether you’re early career, mid-career or late, just ensure you’re listening to people. Ask questions, seek clarification and respectfully challenge in some areas. Don’t be close-minded; be ready for people to have different ideas and for your own to evolve.” This approach has taken Wright across senior management positions at Bayer as well as Syn- genta where he led its North American Enogen and Canada Seed divisions. He also spent seven years on the board of the Canadian Seed Trade Association and served as its president from 2017 to 2018. Named Seeds Canada CEO on Jan. 19, Wright continues to serve within the sometimes complex and controversial environment of the nation’s seed sector. Though the organization maintains a small Ottawa office, he lives and works primarily in Ayr, ON, and his colleagues across Canada largely work remotely. In its support for seed sector growth, Seeds Canada represents the ag val- ue chain from breeder to farmer to retailer. Established Feb. 1, 2021, Seeds Canada completed its first strategic plan, which followed Wright taking over from then-CEO Barry Senft. GrainsWest: You grew up on a mixed farm and your family owned an equipment dealership in Dresden, ON. How did your early exposure to this side of the ag world influence your career? Dan Wright: It’s just learning the challenges of running a busi- ness, and how outside forces can impact it. Their supplier was Massey Ferguson. When your main supplier has financial diffi- culties outside your control, it’s hard to adapt. That built some resiliency. And watching my parents, who were equal partners in the business, set a big career foundation. When I was in high school, I spent a summer in Red Deer working for Big Red Industries, also a Massey Ferguson dealer. It was good experience to get that western exposure. GW: You’ve worked extensively with corporations and industry associations.