Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
Page 41
Page 42
Page 43
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
Page 47
Page 48
Page 49
Page 50
Page 51
Page 52
SPUDSMART.COM6VanderZaagandGagnonmaintainthesystemneedstochangetoenablegreatersharingofinformationandknowledgebetweenbreeders.AsanexampleGagnonpointstonewgenereplicationtechniquesthatcanshaveyearsoffthetimerequiredtocreatesuccessfulvarietiesundertraditionalbreedingprograms.Breedingpotatoeshesaysisfarmorecomplicatedthanwheatorcereals.Wereallyneedthosenewtoolstohelpusgofaster.AAFCsaysitisworkingonnewtechniquesbasedongenomicselectionorpredictionwiththegoalofmakingpotatobreedingmoreefcientandcompetitivewithothercrops.VanderZaagacknowledgestheremaybesomeresistancetotheideaofthebulkofCanadasappliedpotatobreedingresearchmovingintoprivatesectorhands.Ithinkatthispointtheremaynotbeenoughgeneralcondencethattheprivatebreederscanpullthisoffhesays.Ithinkthoseareconcernswehavetoallayjustbygoinguptotheplateanddoingit.Deslauriersontheotherhandbelievesitsineveryonesbestintereststotakemoretimetocarefullymapoutawayforward.Ithinkthattheimportantthingistoworktogetherwiththeindustrytomakeasmoothtransitionshesays.Youwantsomethingthatyouregoingtobeabletoplanproperlyandareabletofeedintoitasitsdevelopingsothatyourenotcausingashockinthesystem.PotatoBreedingWorkingGroupThesekindsofdiscussionsarealreadytakingplacethroughaCanadianPotatoCouncilpotatobreedingworkinggroupthatwasformedlastyear.ItiscomprisedofrepresentativesfromregionalgrowerassociationsandtheprivatebreedersnetworkalongwithAAFCpotatoscientistsandadministrators.MaryKaySonierseedco-ordinatorwiththePrinceEdwardIslandPotatoBoardchairsthegroup.WhatwerediscussingisthefutureofpotatobreedinginCanadawhatitshouldlooklikewhoshouldhaveresponsibilityforwhathowcanwecollaborate.Researchanddevelopmentisessentialtoourindustrylikeanyotherindustry.Ifyoudontkeepmovingaheadyoufallbehindprettyquicklyshesays.WedliketoseethegovernmentcontinueonthehightechendofthebreedingsaysSonierpointingtothesignicantinfrastructureandsecurefundingthatareessentialforproductivelong-termupstreampotatoresearch.Butwhenitcomesdowntotheeldresearchendweseeagreaterroleforindustryinthatshesaysaddingonepossiblepathishavingprivateresearchersworkcloselywithgrowerassociationsandprovincialorganizationsindifferentpartsofthecountrytodevelopandassesspromisingpotatolines.TracyShinners-CarnelleyofManitobasPeakoftheMarketchairstheCanadianPotatoCouncilsresearchworkinggroupoutofwhichthepotatobreedingworkinggroupwasformed.Shebelievesitsessentialfortheindustrytocomeupwithapotatobreedingandevaluationsystemthatmakesthebestuseofpublicandprivateresearch.TheresaplaceforboththeresaneedforbothShinners-Carnelleysays.Itsimportantthatwedevelopamodelthathasallinterestedstakeholdersinpotatobreedingworkingtogethersowecandoitaseffectivelyaspossibleandalsoasefcientlyaspossible.Potatobreedingisexpensiveandittakesalotoftime.GiventhenatureoftheworkthatweredoingIthinkthatitsofutmostimportancethatourapproachgoingforwardlooksathowwebestdothatgiventhelimitedcapacitywehavebutalsothelimitednancialresourceswehavetofundthiskindofwork.BudgetcutstoAAFChaveledtospeculationthatthefederalgovernmentcouldeventuallygetoutofthebusinessofpotatobreedingaltogether.ThatsnotsomethingprivatebreederslikeVanderZaagandGagnonwouldliketoseenorwouldmostothersintheCanadianpotatoindustry.WereinagreementwiththeprivatebreedersthatwedontwanttheCanadiangovernmentjusttogetoutofpotatobreedingtomorrowsaysSonier.Deslauriersinsiststhatsnotgoingtohappen.ShedescribesfundingforthePRCwhichwascompletelyrenovatedintheearly2000sasfairlysecureandsaystheresnodiscussionaboutdiscontinuingsupportforthePotatoResearchCentreoritspotatobreedingefforts.SupportforPrivateBreedersPeterVanderZaagandAndreGagnonoftheCanadianPrivatePotatoBreedersNetworkmaintaintheHarpergovernmentisastrongsupporterofprivatepotatobreedinginCanadareferringtoaletterthatAgricultureMinisterGerryRitzsenttheCPPBNin2012.TheletterreferstoCPPBNasoneofthekeypotatostakeholdergroupsinCanadaandsaysAAFClooksforwardtoworkingwithyourorganizationtoexplorepotentialpartnershipsonresearchprojectsofmutualinterest.AnothersignofsupportforprivatebreedersisBillC-18theAgriculturalGrowthActwhichcontainsproposedamendmentstoCanadasPlantBreedersRightsPBRlegislationthatwouldbringitinlinewithmuchoftherestoftheworld.CanadaisoneofasmallminorityofmembersoftheInternationalUnionfortheProtectionofNewPlantVarietiesUPOVwhoselegislationdoesnotconformtothemostrecentconventionUPOV1991.Underthatconventionbreedershavetomaketheirprotectedvarietiesavailabletootherbreedersforresearchandtouseforthedevelopmentofnewvarieties.TheCanadianPotatoCouncilisamemberofPartnersinInnovationacoalitionofCanadianagriculturalcommissionsandgrowersgroupsthatsupportBillC-18.ItmaintainstheproposedPBRamendmentswillopenopportunitiesforplantbreedersinCanadaandoutsideofourborderstodeliversuperiorvarietiestoCanadianfarmers.AccordingtoVanderZaagBillC-18isagoodthingfortheCPPBN.Itdoesprovidemoreprotectionandmoreincentivefortheprivatebreederhesays.MarkHalsallFarmstaffusingatwoseatmechanicalplantertoplantpotatoesatAgriculuitreandAgri-FoodCanadasBentonRidgeResearchFarminNewBrunswickinlateMay.PhotocourtesyofAAFC.