Western Grain Research Foundation looking to widen scope

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The Saskatoon-based Western Grain Research Foundation (WGRF) is exploring options to broaden its research check-off on wheat and barley to serve producers in the non-food grain market.

The foundation is a farmer-funded and -directed organization that was established in 1981 to support research on new wheat and barley varieties, and to develop new technology that will improve production to enhance the competitiveness of Canadian grain in the international market.

WGRF Executive Director Lanette Kuchenski explains that their check-off is currently limited to Canadian Wheat Board sales, which are exclusively aimed at the food market.

“We are stretching the check-off dollars collected on export grains to fund research for domestic industrial uses such as ethanol, as well as for our livestock industries,” said Kuchenski.

The foundation is now developing plans to expand the check-off to wheat and barley sales outside the CWB system. Kuchenski says that may include looking at provincial and/or federal legislation, but stresses that the plan will be the subject of a great deal of producer consultation.

“We have always relied on producer input through our board, and we will be scheduling meetings with producer and industry groups to hear their input,” Kuchenski noted.

The WGRF is currently collecting 30 cents per tonne on wheat and 50 cents per tonne on barley on CWB sales. The money is allocated to research projects to improve grain breeding, with the objectives of higher yields, better quality, stronger disease and pest resistance, and improved agronomic traits and characteristics for new market opportunities.

In 2007, the foundation expects to collect about $5.1 million to apply to new projects. If non-CWB sales were included, approximately $3.1 million more would become available.

Kuchenski says new funds would be directed toward specific research that enhances production for the growing ethanol and livestock feed markets.

“The ethanol system also involves new by-products, and we have to look at the breeding mechanisms that will contribute to improving those,” she said.

According to a Return on Investment study conducted for the WGRF, every dollar in wheat development is returning four dollars to farmers, while a dollar in barley research returns 12 dollars to the producer. The producers’ contributions are also a catalyst to leverage additional federal and provincial government research funding.

The foundation will engage in a consultative process with producer organizations in 2007 as the next step in developing the strategy to expand the check-off. Producers can learn more on the Western Grain Research Foundation website at www.westerngrains.com, or by calling the foundation at (306) 975-0060.

For more information, contact:

Lanette Kuchenski, Executive Director
Western Grains Research Foundation
Phone: (306) 975-0060