b'Potato breederDavid de Koeyer with abox of freshly dug potatoes at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadas potato breeding sub-station inBenton Ridge, N.B.PHOTO: AAFCA Change for the BetterAgriculture and ITS BEEN A LITTLE over a year since Agricultureentation to conference attendees on the breeding and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) began revampingprogram overhaul. Agri-Food Canadasits potato breeding program. In addition to makingOver the past year, AAFC has stepped up its efforts the program more efficient and up to date, the moveto solicit feedback from growers, processors and potato breedingreflects a strong desire by the AAFC to make themarketing agencies on the most sought-after traits in program looks a lotprogram more responsive to the needs of the Canadianthe breeding material it supplies to the potato industry potato industry.for developing new commercial varieties.different these days,The changes are still ongoing, but many in theThis was really what we were soliciting at the thanks to a majorpotato industry appear to like what theyve seen so farmeeting, to see how people reacted to everything weve in the new-look breeding program. done over the past year and to see what we should do overhaul in the pastVirginia Dickison is an AAFC biologist who actsgoing forward, Dickison says. year. Many of those inas operations manager and industry liaison officerWe had some really positive feedback about for the program. In November, she travelled to thethe changes that weve made, mostly surrounding the Canadian potatoAlberta Conference and Trade Show along withthe engagement level and the communication and the programs potato breeder, David de Koeyer, tothe networking that were doing with industry to industry are welcomingaddress a special meeting of 30 or so industryget their feedback, she adds. We also have a the changes . stakeholders about all the changes and the progresslot of good feedback going forward to make some made so far, as well as different options for releas- additional changes.BY: MARK HALSALL ing new varieties going forward. Tracy Shinners-Carnelley, vice-president of Everybody was very excited about the changesresearch and quality with Manitobas Peak of the that we had put into place, which was very good toMarket, was among the industry representatives at see, says Dickison, who also delivered a pres- the meeting.4 SPUDSMART.COM WINTER 2020'