A new generation of wheat varieties for western Canadian farmers is on the way, with the launch of new wheat breeding agreements for the Wheat Check-off Fund, administered by Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF).

The agreements provide a framework for farmer investment in wheat breeding research over the next five-to-10 years. They feature updated funding allocations, breeding targets and other key provisions to get the most out of farmers' investment in wheat variety development.

"If you take a look at the updated class-by-class funding allocations, I think you'll see the producers on our board and the experts on our advisory committees have developed a solid framework to get the varieties that will best meet our needs in this next round of Wheat Check-off funding," says Dr. Keith Degenhardt, a Hughenden, Alta., producer and Chair of WGRF. "The agreements will also help us look after the expanding interests of farmers as major players in crop research funding."

To this point, Wheat Check-off investment has been guided by 10-year wheat breeding agreements implemented during the 1993/94 crop year. The agreements outlined how farmers' Check-off investment was to be handled, including the dollars invested in breeding for particular wheat classes and for particular improvements. They also included provisions to ensure accountability and more broadly protect the interests of farmers as investors in the research.

The new agreements launched during 2005 extend that framework with an updated outlook, says Lanette Kuchenski, WGRF Executive Director. "Farmers have driven a lot of research progress and come a long way as research investors. The new agreements are designed to get the most out of their initial investment, while updating the core funding strategies for this next round of investment."

Under the new agreements, 34 percent of annual Wheat Check-off Fund investment goes toward breeding programs for Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat, 20 percent to Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD), 15 percent to the new Canada Western Hard White (CWHW) class, 12 percent to Canada Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) and nine percent to special germplasm development and Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) efforts.

More information on the new wheat breeding agreements, including detail on funding allocations, breeding targets and key provisions is available in the new October edition of WGRF's Industry Report newsletter, available on the WGRF Web site, www.westerngrains.com. Details on WGRF's new barley breeding agreements for the Barley Check-off Fund will be available in the November edition of Industry Report.

The new wheat and barley breeding agreements are part of a broader updating of the Check-off system, which has also included a recent increase in Check-off rates. The new rates for the WGRF Check-off will be $0.30/tonne - less than one cent per bushel - for wheat and $0.50/tonne - one cent per bushel - for barley, effective for the 2005/06 crop year. (Old rates will still apply on remaining CWB final payments for grain delivered in the 2004/05 crop year.)

"The decision to increase the Check-off rates is one we don't take lightly, but it's clear the additional dollars collected are needed and will provide a solid investment return," says Degenhardt. "The increase will help our producers farm more profitably and help our industry remain competitive."

The increase is the first for the Check-off since it was implemented 10 years ago and is designed primarily to offset inflation. Degenhardt and Kuchenski answer common questions on the increase in the October edition of Western Grains Research Magazine, also available at www.westerngrains.com.

WGRF is farmer funded and farmer directed. It has invested approximately $4 million annually in wheat and barley development research through the Wheat and Barley Check-off Funds.