Thanks for checking out RealAg Radio on this Wednesday, July 31. On today’s show hear: Neil Townsend, market analyst with GrainFox, on how summer weather is playing into market moves; Todd Hyra, western business manager with SeCan, with today’s product spotlight on where winter wheat fits; Shaun’s thoughts on the passing of Lyle Stewart, former… Read More

Alliance Seed and SeCan say they’ve agreed to a cash settlement worth over seven hundred thousand dollars with a large farm in southern Alberta that made unauthorized sales of barley and wheat varieties protected by plant breeders’ rights (PBR) legislation. Alliance, SeCan, and one unnamed seed distributor will receive $737,597 in compensation for royalties, as… Read More

An announcement regarding the future of seed royalties on Tuesday in Winnipeg could be a turning point in a more-than-a-decade long discussion about the return-on-investment for seed companies and plant breeders in Canada. At FarmTech in Edmonton earlier this winter, both Todd Hyra, of SeCan, and Laurin Comin, of the Alberta Wheat Commission, presented on… Read More

On Monday, RealAg Radio is on location at the Canadian Seed Trade Association’s semi-annual meeting in Ottawa, Ont.  Today’s show sponsor is Fortenza seed treatment that’s powered by Syngenta. Guests include: Todd Hyra, President of the Canadian Seed Trade Association speaks about the proposed value creation models suggested by the industry Scott Ewert with Syngenta… Read More

The Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) welcomed their new president, Todd Hyra, this past month. As the presidency term only lasts for one year, Hyra says the nice part is that you still get to see projects you’re passionate about go forward as you’re part of the board two years leading up as vice president… Read More

SeCan recently discovered that the majority of the soft white wheat varieties grown in western Canada naturally contain the Sm1 trait for midge tolerance. The trait has likely always been there, but only recently have we had the technology to test for it. The Sm1 gene was first identified as naturally occurring in soft red winter… Read More

Canada’s largest distributor of certified seed is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Likely ahead of its time in bringing together industry, universities, government and producer partners, the not-for-profit member association known as SeCan was started in 1976. “The roots are tied very closely to the Canadian Seed Growers Association — seed growers, seed trade,… Read More

The Canadian government’s decision to implement UPOV ’91 standards for plant breeders’ rights is driving new investment in crop breeding, say seed industry officials. Bill C-18 — the federal legislation amending the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act — became law last week. Representatives from the seed trade and the crop sector value chain celebrated its passage at a press conference… Read More