Advisory Committees of Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) had one eye on today's research progress and another on future needs at their recent annual meetings in Saskatoon and Brandon.

The Foundation administers the Wheat and Barley Check-off Funds, which support wheat and barley breeding programs. The Foundation's Advisory Committees, one for wheat and one for barley, meet once a year to review breeding progress funded by the Check-off and to provide advice for the Foundation's farmer Board of Directors.

This year's meetings took on added importance as WGRF enters final stages in the process of negotiating new long-term funding agreements with research institutions. Current agreements, which began in 1994, are set to expire at the end of the year.

"The new long-term funding agreements will cover all aspects of how farmers' investment is handled, from specific breeding targets and programs funded to related equity and germplasm use issues," says Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Hughenden, Alta., producer and Chair of WGRF. "The Advisory Committees are a great resource of expertise to support our producer Board in developing these agreements."

This year, the Wheat Advisory Committee meeting was held on July 27 and 28 at the University of Saskatchewan. The Barley Advisory Committee meeting was held on August 5 and 6 at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) Brandon Research Centre.

The Check-off Funds contribute over $4 million annually to wheat and barley development with the objective of delivering to Prairie farmers varieties superior in quality, agronomics, disease and insect pest resistance. The Check-off is deducted from Canadian Wheat Board final payments to farmers and is assessed at $0.20/tonne for wheat and $0.40/tonne for barley, excluding barley in Alberta, which is covered by a provincial check-off.

The Advisory Committees traditionally meet at the various research institutions on a rotating basis, giving the Foundation a hands-on view of research progress, says Degenhardt. Committee membership includes farmers from the WGRF Board, researchers, marketers, quality experts and others on the front line of the grain industry.

Committee members review breeding progress and discuss new developments that could require a shift in funding priorities. The Wheat Advisory Committee is chaired by Manitoba producer Bill Toews, who represents Keystone Agricultural Producers on the Foundation Board. Alberta farmer Alanna Hermanson of Standard, Alta., who represents the Western Barley Growers' Association on the Foundation Board, chairs the Barley Advisory Committee.

At the recent meetings, Committee members concluded breeding programs are generally on track to meet the targets laid out in the current agreements. They also discussed a variety of issues related to the development of new agreements and to the future of the Check-off Funds.

"At this stage, consensus has been reached on the bulk of the agreements, which deals with funding allocations and breeding targets," says Degenhardt. "The focus now is on addressing a handful of issues WGRF considers essential to ensure farmer interests are represented and protected." Key issues include famer input in seed licensing, royalties returned to WGRF, germplasm use, public funding commitments and research co-operation.

Further into the future, the Advisory Committees also discussed broader issues related to maintaining a fair and effective Check-off and a strong research effort, in the face of potential industry trends and developments that may impact farmer research funding.

"The advice of the Advisory Committees is a valuable asset for WGRF, to help ensure the next long-term round of Check-off funding best meets the goals of farmer research investors," says Degenhardt. Recommendations from both Advisory Committees will be presented to the Foundation Board at its fall Board meeting in November.

Western Grains Research Foundation is funded and directed by farmers with a Board comprised of 18 diverse producer organizations.