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Winter

2018

Grains

West

6

Seedsof change

RENEWAL IS ACONSTANT

THERE’S NOTHING SIMPLE ABOUT

seed. Conventional variety development

alone is a multi-faceted process that can

take up to a decade. And even at the

end of the process, in certain cases, the

seed may not be picked up by a com-

mercial supplier, which has contributed

to the reputation of the seed business

for extreme patience and pessimism.

As farmers begin field preparation and

rotate their crops another year, there’s a

great deal of complexity in the data and

farm-practice planning that inform this

annual decision-making process.

Naturally, the array of varieties availa-

ble to farmers changes from year to year.

Selecting seed that will produce the best

possible yield and the most marketable

crop is the topic of “Seed Savvy” (page

40), which looks at the factors to con-

sider for the 2018 growing season. This

includes gauging the changes introduced

by the Canadian Grain Commission’s

(CGC) wheat class modernization efforts

and western Canadian ag’s continued

emphasis on desirable characteristics

such as Fusarium head blight tolerance.

Further to the CGC reclassification of

wheat varieties, “Class System” (page 9)

investigates the intent of these changes

and the concerns they have generated.

While choosing varieties that are right

for your region and growing circum-

stances is important, viability is another

crucial determiner of seed success. Gone

are the days when planting a few kernels

of grain in a window-ledge pot was con-

sidered an adequate indication of a seed

batch’s potential. To reflect the growing

importance of digitally generated data

in farming, seed testing has grown more

complex and helpfully yields a greater

amount of accurate information quicker

than ever. The positive implications this

expanding array of tests has for commer-

cial seed growers and farmers is detailed

in “Growth Industry” (page 38).

Part of sowing success in the realm

of seeds has been the advent of technol-

ogy and innovation. The University of

Alberta’s Stan Blade walks us through

CRISPR gene-editing technology in

“From Lab to Field” (page 46) and how

seeds and technology have changed over

the decades. You don’t have to look any

further than the example of our

Canadian-made cash crop of canola

and what a success story it’s been for

farmers and agribusiness alike. It makes

you wonder, what will the next wave of

genetic engineering look like for agricul-

ture, specifically seeds?

Another central link in the seed value

chain, Alberta’s seed processing facilities

handle upwards of 40 million bushels

of seed and grain annually as well as

supporting crop diversification and evolv-

ing crop-marketing needs. Celebrating

Alberta Seed Processors’ 65th anniversa-

ry, “Seeds of Success” (page 10) looks at

facility upgrades and plant openings such

as the Lougheed Co-op Seed Cleaning

Plant, which replaces its predecessor, a

facility that was over six decades old.

Of course, inherent in the lives of

farmers is the marketing of seed. “Smart-

er Sales” (page 34) walks you through

planning and market research, providing

expert input along the way. We have sug-

gested several steps to making yourself a

better crop marketer.

The simple part is that growth and

EDITOR’S

MESSAGE

While choosing varieties

that are right for your region

and growing circumstances

is important, viability is

another crucial determiner of

seed success.

change in agriculture is constant,

which is a good thing. With the plant-

ing of crops comes the renewal of the

food-growing process and satisfaction at

the appearance of emerging seedlings.

There may also be some second guessing

and finger crossing, but it’s reassuring to

know that with the greater complexity

of the seed equation comes an improved

measure of security and opportunity—

new variety choices backed by quality

testing and robust, state-of-the-art pro-

cessing facilities will only improve your

farm’s bottom line.