GrainsWest Spring 2021

Spring 2021 grainswest.com 35 FEATURE BY MELANIE EPP • LEAD PHOTO BY HARPINDER RANDHAWA Is CWHWS set for a resurrection in the near future? COMEBACK CLASS CWHWS: A HISTORY The story of CWHWS begins in the early 2000s with two newly developed varieties, Snowbird and Kanata. According to a presentation by GrahamWorden, who was senior manager of technical services at the CanadianWheat Board (CWB) at the time, both varieties were developed using CWRS genetics. FarmPure Seeds owned both varieties and worked in partnership with Paterson Grain and the CanadianWheat Board Identity- Preserved Contract Program (CWB-IPCP) to develop a market. In 2003, production reached 190,000 tonnes, and quality was excellent. In the following year, production rose to 600,000 tonnes. Quality, however, was compromised due to a poor growing season and challenging harvest weather. In 2005, production increased to nearly one million tonnes. Again, quality took a hit due to poor harvest conditions. Snowbird’s sister line, Kanata, was slower to develop. In 2005, production reached around 40,000 acres. The success of CWHWS at that time can be partly attributed to the CWB-IPCP, which initially offered a contract premium of $7.50 over CWRS. On top of that, protein premiums were introduced for the 2004/05 growing season. here was a time when Canadian Western Hard White Spring (CWHWS) wheat was touted as the next big minor class. Today, though, the class is virtually dead. Despite having lost its shine, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) wheat breeder Harpinder Randhawa believes CWHWS is poised to make a comeback thanks to a new, higher yielding variety he developed. While AAC Whitehead yields 21 per cent higher than previously established CWHWS varieties, industry experts believe it will take more than yield to revive the class. If the history of CWHWS has taught any lessons, it is that marketing, competition and quality all play a crucial role in determining the success of a wheat class. However, GrainsWest recently spoke with farmers and scientists who are cautiously optimistic about its return. T Pictured here is a field of AACWhitehead, developed by federal wheat breeder Harpinder Randhawa.