3. Winter wheat development limited by KVD
by Rae Groeneveld
A winter wheat research scientist is frustrated over Canada’s grain grading
and classification system, saying it’s an impediment to the introduction of
new winter wheat varieties.
Dr. Brian Fowler from the Crop Development Centre at the University of
Saskatchewan says the continuing struggle to conform winter wheat varieties
to the Kernel Visual Distinguishability requirements is stifling innovation.
KVD ensures that winter wheat does not look like Canada western red spring
wheat. CWRS is the main class of wheat grown in Western Canada.
“The estimates are that we are spending $2.2 million a year on winter wheat
breeding in Western Canada, and in five years we haven’t be able to get any
new varieties through, which is $11 million wasted,” Fowler says. He spoke
to the recent Winter Cereal Canada annual meeting in Yorkton, Sask.
Fowler has been trying to bring new winter wheat varieties to the prairie
production system, but can’t get them to the point where the varieties are
visually distinguishable from CWRS.
The Canadian Grain Commission’s development of a new general class of wheat
and the removal of KVD for non-milling classes of wheat were supposed to
help with the introduction of new varieties. However, winter wheat still
must be visually distinguishable from the main class of spring wheat.
Fowler’s answer to the limitations of KVD is the introduction of a
declaration system where farmers would document the grain and variety they
are delivering.
“There is no other country in the world that uses KVD to segregate their
grain quality classes,” Fowlers says.
The Canada Wheat Board has supported KVD and its continuation in the grain
classification system. Vice-president of product development and marketing
support Earl Geddes says 90 per cent of the wheat produced in Western Canada
is protected by KVD.
“If we are going to remove the KVD requirements from those classes and allow
red winter wheat and CPS red wheat or hard white spring wheat to look like
these other classes, there is a price to pay,” Geddes says.
That price, according to Geddes, is the increased costs of a declaration and
monitoring system to ensure the different classes of wheat can remain
segregated.
Geddes believes winter wheat breeding would be best focused on developing
varieties with low protein levels that are in demand by the ethanol sector.
He says yield can be greatly increased by reducing the protein in winter
wheat varieties.
“I think there is lots of room for the development of general purpose wheat
by simply lowering the protein and focusing on kernel shapes other than
CWRS,” Geddes says.
After reading this how can a winter wheat producer have any confidence in the CWB as there marketing representative. The comments made by Mr. Geddes make it obvious that he other doesn't understand the issue and it's impact on winter wheat or the more likely that the CWB really doesn't care about the minor classes of wheat.Declaration and monitoring are becoming standard in the industry regardless of KVD. Maybe they should take heed of their own comments. If you can't provide any value to the producers of minor classes of wheat then you should voluntarily remove yourself from the market.
by Rae Groeneveld
A winter wheat research scientist is frustrated over Canada’s grain grading
and classification system, saying it’s an impediment to the introduction of
new winter wheat varieties.
Dr. Brian Fowler from the Crop Development Centre at the University of
Saskatchewan says the continuing struggle to conform winter wheat varieties
to the Kernel Visual Distinguishability requirements is stifling innovation.
KVD ensures that winter wheat does not look like Canada western red spring
wheat. CWRS is the main class of wheat grown in Western Canada.
“The estimates are that we are spending $2.2 million a year on winter wheat
breeding in Western Canada, and in five years we haven’t be able to get any
new varieties through, which is $11 million wasted,” Fowler says. He spoke
to the recent Winter Cereal Canada annual meeting in Yorkton, Sask.
Fowler has been trying to bring new winter wheat varieties to the prairie
production system, but can’t get them to the point where the varieties are
visually distinguishable from CWRS.
The Canadian Grain Commission’s development of a new general class of wheat
and the removal of KVD for non-milling classes of wheat were supposed to
help with the introduction of new varieties. However, winter wheat still
must be visually distinguishable from the main class of spring wheat.
Fowler’s answer to the limitations of KVD is the introduction of a
declaration system where farmers would document the grain and variety they
are delivering.
“There is no other country in the world that uses KVD to segregate their
grain quality classes,” Fowlers says.
The Canada Wheat Board has supported KVD and its continuation in the grain
classification system. Vice-president of product development and marketing
support Earl Geddes says 90 per cent of the wheat produced in Western Canada
is protected by KVD.
“If we are going to remove the KVD requirements from those classes and allow
red winter wheat and CPS red wheat or hard white spring wheat to look like
these other classes, there is a price to pay,” Geddes says.
That price, according to Geddes, is the increased costs of a declaration and
monitoring system to ensure the different classes of wheat can remain
segregated.
Geddes believes winter wheat breeding would be best focused on developing
varieties with low protein levels that are in demand by the ethanol sector.
He says yield can be greatly increased by reducing the protein in winter
wheat varieties.
“I think there is lots of room for the development of general purpose wheat
by simply lowering the protein and focusing on kernel shapes other than
CWRS,” Geddes says.
After reading this how can a winter wheat producer have any confidence in the CWB as there marketing representative. The comments made by Mr. Geddes make it obvious that he other doesn't understand the issue and it's impact on winter wheat or the more likely that the CWB really doesn't care about the minor classes of wheat.Declaration and monitoring are becoming standard in the industry regardless of KVD. Maybe they should take heed of their own comments. If you can't provide any value to the producers of minor classes of wheat then you should voluntarily remove yourself from the market.
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