Canterra Seeds, a Winnipeg-based seed company, announced yesterday that it had successfully bid in an open competition for exclusive U.S. distribution rights for dry pea pedigreed seed varieties developed at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre (CDC).
“This relationship was built on our strong track record, both with the CDC and with US farmers,” said David Hansen, president and CEO of Canterra Seeds. “We’ve established a robust distribution network in the US that has served us well in marketing a wide range of crops, and have previously proven our expertise to the CDC by successfully marketing their chickpea varieties in the US, in addition to distributing many of their other crop varieties in Canada.”
Within the Department of Plant Sciences, the Crop Development Centre is a field crop research organization that integrates research and genetic improvement in spring wheat, durum, canary seed, barley, oat, flax, field pea, lentil, chickpea, fababean and dry bean. Since its establishment in 1971, the CDC has released over 400 commercial varieties.
“For over a generation, western Canadian farmers have valued the CDC’s dedication to premium crop variety development. We are proud to continue the tradition of collaboration with private sector entities, enabling us to reinvest in our research programs,” said Dr. Kofi Agblor, Managing Director of the CDC.
CDC varieties will be sold through Meridian Seeds, Canterra Seeds’ U.S. affiliate, with the arrangemenet set to start on September 1, 2015.
Related:
Pulse School: Objectives of Current and Future Pea Varietal Selection
Pulse School: Which Input Matters Most? A Look at Pea Seeding Rates
Pulse School: Upside Potential for Pea Prices — Pea & Lentil Outlook From Marlene Boersch