b'the needs of the breeder or the productspecifically in Alberta? competitiveness of the products coming offers. It works across all regions ofTH: Ill give a couple of examples. Inout of those programs be as good as Canada, across all crops. oats, for example, certified seed usage isthey could be? Will there be products about 15 per cent. So that means whenfrom other parts of the world coming to ASG: What do you feel isa breeder sells the variety, they get aCanada?misunderstood about the VUA? royalty on certified seed sales whichWhen we started talking about TH: Theres a few misconceptions. So onewould be about 15 per cent of the acresthe VUA and the potential for some is, Why do we need it? Things are lookingbeing planted of their variety. So, 85 peradditional royalty flow back to breeders, okay right now. There are still some goodcent of the crop is being used withoutit immediately sparked interest from products coming to market. Do we reallyany royalty flow back to the breeder.breeders from around the world to look need this? And my answer to that is, ifAnd so, if its a public program, thereat Canada and start to make crosses for youve been around as long as I have andare some other avenues. Theres publicCanada. And so, without that, theyll stop can look at what we had and what we havefunds and some producer checkoff dollarsthat investment, completely pack up and and the trend lines, its startling.that help support them. But if youreleave. They need to have a return. A few different examples that I cana private breeder, its a very difficult give you are just the breeding positionsposition, even when youve got good within some of the public programs thatproducts, to try and maintain cash flow have been cut over the years. So, justand keep those new, better varietiesIf you want to four or five years ago we had two barleycoming forward. And so, by having amaintain breeding, breeders and two wheat breeders insmall royalty on those that choose to farm Brandon, Manitoba. And now theres onesave seed, it levels the playing field andyou have to have of each. So, breeding positions are beingensures that breeders are being rewarded.dollars going in cut, testing facilities have been cut.If we look at the some of the Theres a ton of other examples,challenges going on within the publicand you cant but the erosion has been continuousprograms across Canada, and you canrely alone on over time. And we need to stop thatlook provincially in Alberta. Some of and ensure that we maintain what wethe struggles to try and maintain thatpublic dollars. have and build back and attract newinvestment in the breeding that is being investment.done by Alberta Agriculture and ensure The next one is, While Ive alreadythat the agronomy support goes on. You paid for these varieties, why are youcan see the budget cuts that hit in 2019, charging me more? Because farmers2020 that are really impacting those. pay levees, and they pay some but notIf you want to maintain breeding, you all. And its important to consider this ishave to have dollars going in and youASG: Is there anything else youd just one piece of many pieces of pie thatcant rely alone on public dollars. So, welike to say?make up funding, in particular publicneed alternate mechanisms that helpTH: This is an important time for us. breeding programs.support those programs. Were learning. We want to understand Currently, theyre funded by producerthe impact from a farm perspective. We dollars, theyre funded by federal dollars,ASG: What do you think the futurewant real life feedback and we want so pure public investment in those, asof plant breeding in Canada is ifthe system to be fair. So, its about well as other industry contributionsthe VUA doesnt go through? developing a system that supports and that support the programs. And thenTH: Well, itll continue in some form,encourages breeding. But there has to be the royalty that would be capturedbut to maintain competitiveness and toreward in it for the farmer all the way. Its from certified seed sales. This is sort ofattract the brightest and best we need tonot just a one-sided equation. another piece that would help round outinvest. No doubt about it, farmers invest that overall contribution.in their farms all the time. And this is justEditors note: The Seed Variety Use one of those pieces of investment.Agreement (SVUA) was recently renamed ASG: How will the VUA affectAnd so, if we dont, breedingthe Variety Use Agreement (VUA).plant breeding in Canada andprograms will continue, but will the Ashley RobinsonFall 2020 19'