Changes at the Crop Development Centre

Last night, there was a retirement gathering for weed scientist Rick Holm. Rick has had a 40-year career, including 27 years with the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. He’s a great scientist and great guy and he’ll be missed. There have been a number of recent high-profile retirements from the Crop Development Centre. Flax breeder Gordon Rowland has retired and this is the last year for oat and barley breeder Brian Rossnagel. Both men were giants in their respective crops. The good news is that new people are on-board to continue the work. Helen Booker is the new flax breeder. Aaron Beattie is doing oat and barley breeding. And Rick Holm’s position as a weed scientist will be filled in a few months. Many other staff members are in the prime of their career including Tom Warkentin, Tar’an Bunyamin and Sabine Banniza in pulse crops and Pierre Hucl who does wheat and canaryseed breeding. Durum wheat breeder Curtis Pozniak is responsible for the new variety CDC Verona, the first durum from the Crop Development Centre in many years. Since its creation in 1971, the Crop Development Centre has released nearly 300 commercial crop varieties and has been a huge benefit for Prairie agriculture.
I’m Kevin Hursh.

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