Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
August 11, 2003

Wheat and Barley Advisory Committees of Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) met recently to conduct their annual review of breeding progress under the Wheat and Barley Check-off Fund. This year the Committees have the additional responsibility of advising the WGRF Board on new long-term breeding agreements being developed.

The Committees bring together a broad base of grain industry experience - breeders, marketers, quality experts and producers - to provide technical advice to the WGRF Board of Directors. The Barley Advisory Committee met at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, and the Wheat Advisory Committee met at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research Centre in Swift Current.

This year's meetings concluded that wheat and barley breeding progress under current agreements with breeding institutions is on track to meet targets. However, the major focus at each of the two-day meetings was discussions of the new long-term breeding agreements set to take effect in 2005.

"WGRF set up the current 10 year agreements with the breeding institutions when the Wheat and Barley Check-off was first established," says Standard, Alberta producer, Alanna Hermanson, Chair of the Barley Committee. "Progress under those agreements is reviewed annually by the Advisory Committees. In addition, the agreements were reviewed by an independent team at the five-year mark."

In preparation for new agreements, WGRF established two independent review teams to study the current wheat and barley landscape and provide recommendations for the future. The teams worked from specific Terms of Reference developed by WGRF. That included an analysis of the current agreements and a look ahead to market needs in the future.

"The reports from those two independent review teams, completed recently, came first to the Advisory Committees for discussion," says Kane, Manitoba producer, Bill Toews, who chairs the Wheat Advisory Committee. "The Advisory Committees will make recommendations to the WGRF Board
meeting this coming November. The plan is for draft long-term agreements to be developed by the spring of 2004, so that these could be signed and in place for 2005."

The Wheat and Barley Check-off Fund, administered by Western Grains Research Foundation, contributes approximately $5 million annually to wheat and barley variety development. Western Grains Research Foundation is funded and directed by farmers with a board comprised of 17 diverse producer organizations.

More information on the review process and an opportunity to provide direct input on the long-term agreements is available on the WGRF Web site at www.westerngrains.com. 

Advisory Committee membership is as follows:

Check-off Fund Barley Advisory Committee

* Alanna Hermanson, Standard, Alta., WGRF Board, Committee Chair
* Lorne Hamblin, Morris, Man., WGRF Board
* Don Hundeby, Wetaskiwin, Alta., WGRF Board
* Michael Kirylchuk, Lac la Biche, Alta., WGRF Board
* James Chateney, Red Deer, Alta., Canadian Wheat Board, Board of Directors
* Mike Brophy, Winnipeg, Man., Canadian Wheat Board
* Dr. Bill Legge, Brandon, Man., AAFC
* Dr. Michael Edney, Winnipeg, Man., Grain Research Laboratory, Canadian Grain Commission
* Dr. Brain Rossnagel, Saskatoon, Sask., University of Saskatchewan
* Dr. Erin Armstrong, President and CEO, Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute.
* Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Hughenden, Alta., WGRF Board Chair (ex officio)

Check-off Fund Wheat Advisory Committee

* Bill Toews, Kane, Man., WGRF Board, Committee Chair
* Lee Erickson, Donalda, Alta., WGRF Board
* Maurice Fines, Fort St. John, B.C., WGRF Board
* Peter Pepneck, Vauxhall, Alta., WGRF Board
* Gordon Flaten, Winnipeg, Man., Canadian Wheat Board
* Wilfred Harder, Lowe Farm, Man., Canadian Wheat Board, Board of Directors
* Dr. Pierre Hucl, Saskatoon, Sask., University of Saskatchewan
* Dr. Ron DePauw, Swift Current, Sask., AAFC - SPARC
* Dr. Ken Preston, Winnipeg, Man., Grain Research Laboratory, Canadian Grain Commission
* Dr. Keith Degenhardt, Hughenden, Alta., WGRF Board Chair (ex officio)