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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.