The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) announced today it is providing an additional $165,000 in funding for a fusarium head blight research program at Agriculture and Agri-food Canada's (AAFC) Brandon Research Centre. Partnering with the CWB in this initiative are the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and AAFC.

Funding will be directed toward increased deoxynivalenol (DON) testing capacity and the facility's on-site fusarium nursery, where the fungus is cultivated and studied in crop plots. The program is in its final stage of research in developing barley varieties of all classes that are more resistant to fusarium and have lower mycotoxin levels.

"Variety development is often a numbers game," noted Ken Ritter, Chair of the CWB's farmer-controlled board of directors. "The more breeding lines that are tested, the faster researchers are likely to develop a fusarium-resistant barley variety."

Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the CWB said the research will ultimately lead to savings for farmers. "Prairie grains farmers lose tens of millions of dollars a year because of fusarium," he said. "This research is aimed at mitigating these losses, which means more money in farmers' pockets."

"The WGRF funding signals the high importance of the Brandon fusarium head blight nursery to producers in Western Canada," said Dr. Keith Degenhardt, a farmer from Hughenden, AB and Chair of the WGRF. The foundation, which will contribute $405,000 in funding this year, is directed by producers representing 18 diverse agricultural organizations from across the Prairies.

In addition to support for the nursery, farmers have provided long-term funding support to breeding efforts toward barley varieties with improved fusarium and DON resistance through the WGRF-administered barley check-off. "The top check-off-supported barley lines tested at the nursery now show up to a 50 percent reduction in DON levels," Dr. Degenhardt said. "Moving those genetics along into registered varieties will represent a substantial return on farmers' investment."

The research program involves the collaboration of AAFC scientists working from centres across the country with scientists from the University of Saskatchewan and Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. AAFC is also funding the program through its Matching Investment Initiative by $250,000 per year, for a total of $750,000.

"Research on fusarium resistance is a priority for AAFC," said Dr. Jeff Stewart, AAFC Science Director for Crop Development and Genetic Enhancement. "We are definitely making progress as evidenced by a number of lines in co-op trials showing improved levels of FHB resistance. We appreciate the support of the CWB as well as other industry partners and we look forward to continuing our positive working relationship with the CWB."

Today's announcement brings the CWB's total contribution to the three-year research project to $330,000. The CWB's contribution comes from funds generated from interest earned on uncashed farmer cheques.

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less the costs of marketing, to Prairie farmers.