Seed World

At just 25, Anirup Sengupta is using genomics, AI, and predictive breeding tools to help plant breeders develop more resilient crops — without losing sight of the farmers those innovations are meant to serve. When Anirup Sengupta talks about plant breeding on this week’s episode of the Seed World Canada Podcast, he reaches for an analogy almost anyone can understand. “Without a reference genome,”...

From his early studies in China to leading oat breeding efforts in Canada, Yan has built a career dedicated to helping breeders make better decisions and develop stronger crops for changing environments. Few people embody that reality better than Dr. Weikai Yan, recipient of the 2026 Plant Breeding and Genetics Award , sponsored by Seed World Canada and Seeds Canada. Over a career spanning more th...

A single-star evaluation helped save a breeding line that would go on to transform yellow pea production across Western Canada. Some crop varieties achieve instant success. Others succeed because someone gave them one more chance. That was the case for CDC Meadow, the yellow pea variety developed at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC) and named 2026 Seed of the Year. Rel...

Canada’s wheat and barley breeding system is facing a critical turning point, as major farm organizations, universities and industry stakeholders are discussing the optimal future for cereal breeding in Western Canada. This month, a coalition that includes the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), the Canadian Barley Research Coalition, Seeds Canada and Prairie universities released a joint vi...

The vice chair of the House agriculture committee says witness testimony made it clear: planned federal research facility closures would have lasting impacts on Canadian agriculture.  The future of agricultural research in Canada is facing a critical moment — and a new report from the House of Commons agriculture committee is putting that debate squarely in the spotlight. On the latest episode of...

Why promising research fails to reach the market, and what leaders say needs to change. Canada isn’t struggling to generate ideas. It’s struggling to make them matter. That’s the core challenge facing the country’s seed and ag innovation system, according to Nancy Tout, interim CEO of the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS). “We’re incredibly strong at generating innovation,” Tout says. “But...

In the latest Seed World Podcast, Reinheimer explains why Canada risks falling behind globally — and what must change to protect innovation. Canada has long punched above its weight in plant breeding — especially in wheat, where its global reputation for quality and performance is firmly established. But as Jason Reinheimer explains in this week’s Seed World Podcast, past success doesn’t guarantee...

Balancing tradition and innovation remains the key challenge in building a sustainable breeding ecosystem. Canada’s top plant breeders’ rights official is stepping onto the global stage — and he’s bringing a clear message about innovation with him to the new episode of the Seed World Canada podcast. Anthony Parker, commissioner of Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights Office, has been named the new pres...

From relocation decisions to talent retention, Lori Oatway of Western Crop Innovations outlines the human side of research system changes. News of the planned closure of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lacombe research station earlier this year is prompting reflection across Canada’s agricultural sector, particularly around research capacity, collaboration and long-term expertise. In a new Seed...

Dan Wright explains why current models are falling short — and how new approaches like the Variety Use Agreement could change the game. Canada’s seed industry is at a crossroads—and the stakes couldn’t be higher. At the Prairie Grain Development Committee meetings, new Seeds Canada CEO Dan Wright didn’t mince words: without better funding for innovation, Canadian farmers risk falling behind global...

As he retires at the end of the month, a leading Canadian plant pathologist shares insights on legacy, mentorship and the real-world impact of crop disease science. Dr. Kelly Turkington has spent more than four decades studying the diseases that shape Western Canadian crops, but ask him about his career, and he’ll tell you it’s really about people. In the latest episode of the Seed World Canada po...

It’s rare that the seed sector and the music industry overlap, but Anton van Doornmalen, Rijk Zwaan’s co-owner, chairman of its supervisory board and a singer-songwriter on the side, is changing that. For van Doornmalen, music is more than a way to unwind after a day in the office — it’s his way of sharing knowledge and passion for the vegetable seed industry.  Van Doornmalen’s album “Seed Songs”...

At the recent meetings of the Prairie Grain Development Committee, Seed World Canada sat down with Howard Love, lead scientist for Mustard 21 in Saskatoon, to talk about his extensive history in the ag industry, where mustard is as a crop and where it’s going in the future. The crop is hugely important to Canada, which is one of the world’s top exporters of mustard grain. Mustard 21’s primary goal...

Greg and Sarah Stamp of Stamp Seeds have been chosen as the 2023 winners of the Alberta/NWT Outstanding Young Farmers Program. Among four nominees, the dynamic couple secured the coveted title, recognized for their exceptional contributions to the agricultural industry. The prestigious event took place in conjunction with AgSmart in Olds, Alta. this week. Stamp Seeds and Stamp Farms is a second-ge...

SeQso is working as a machine tool supplier for the seed industry supplying a wide range of sorting and sowing equipment. Get to know the new FlexSorter series of seed sorters. Configurable sorters with up to 3 different camera systems (Color, X-Ray, NIR) powered with AI based sorting algorithms. Later this year we will add Hyperspectral NIR.In this lecture, SeQso will explain:– The performance an...

In this webinar we discuss the latest advancements in ag tech and how they’re affecting the seed sector. As planting season begins and growers have more options than ever before, it’s essential to understand how to guide your customers toward the best solutions. Three panelists— Verdant Partner’s Blake Croegaert, Grower’s Edge’s Todd Robran and North Dakota State University Exension’s Rob Proulx —...

As we navigate through a constantly evolving world, it’s crucial for managers to adapt their leadership styles to suit their team’s needs. With Baby boomers transitioning out of the workforce and Gen Z taking their place, it’s essential to explore how to manage diverse teams effectively. The pandemic brought about significant changes in the way businesses operate, and managers need to be equipped...

Social media has rapidly developed within the last 20 years. According to the Pew Research Center, around seven in 10 Americans use social media to connect with one another, engage with news content, share information and entertain themselves — which is a stark difference even from 10 years ago in 2012, when only about 53% of U.S. adults used social media. Nowadays, businesses can’t ignore the val...

Editor’s Note: The bulk of this story was originally published in 2020. The United Nations declared Nov. 15, 2022, the Day of 8 Billion. The UN now projects the world population to hit 8 billion, but it is acknowledging that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing, not accelerating. We all know the world population is set to hit 9 billion by 2050. Or is it? Darrell Bricker says...

About The Webinar In this webinar, Platform Genetics will present end-to-end solutions for mutation-based trait development.​​​​​​​In this webinar, you’ll learn: Deep Variant Scanning provides a platform for non-GMO trait development in any crop Genomics, biochemistry and consumer insights can be combined to accelerate product development Innovative approaches to population development can shorten...