As global demand for high-quality, nutritious food steadily increases, wheat continues to be one of the world’s most important crops. With approximately 15% of the world’s arable land seeded to wheat, this ancient grain is critical to future generations.
As a leader in seed and trait development as well as crop protection for cereals, BASF is committed to transforming the way wheat is produced to help growers continue feeding the world. One demonstration of that commitment is the development of the new wheat breeding station in Pike Lake, Saskatchewan. One of seven wheat breeding stations in the BASF global network, the Canadian wheat breeding program benefits from collaborative expertise, including advanced breeding technologies, equipment and shared resources like germplasm. It’s all designed to help wheat growers overcome their most significant cropping challenges and successfully compete in the global grains market.
As a long-term leader in the cereals industry, BASF is uniquely positioned to deliver hybrid wheat to the marketplace. Since the seed and trait business committed to investing in wheat in 2009, we’ve built a global network of germplasm, trait and technology collaborations. Our team of experts is dedicated solely to the development of hybrid wheat seed and is driven by a passion for bringing quality solutions to growers.
The grand opening of the BASF wheat breeding station took place on June 10, 2016 and represents a $24M (CDN) investment into Canadian wheat breeding. “This is a very exciting time for BASF both globally and within Canada. We have always enjoyed an exceptional reputation as a leader in the agricultural industry and we are now at the forefront of wheat hybrid research and development. We have made a long-term commitment to wheat as part of a 10-year plan and over EUR 1.0 billion in hybrid wheat R&D, in addition to investments in partnerships and local and international research consortiums.” says Brent Collins, BASF North American Seed Marketing Manager.