About Us
The Crop Development Centre (CDC) was established in 1971 with a mandate to improve economic returns for farmers and the agriculture industry of western Canada by improving existing crops, creating new uses for traditional crops, and developing new crops. We are a field crop research organization within the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan.
Focusing on plant breeding and pathology, CDC scientists deploy the latest scientific advances to improve the agronomic and end-use performances of spring wheat, durum, canaryseed, barley, oat, flax, field pea, lentil, chickpea, dry bean, fababean and soybean. Since our inception, we have released over 500 commercial varieties in over 40 different crop types, a remarkable achievement in 50 years from a dedicated group of men and women with a strong commitment to the CDC mandate! The CDC is intimately linked to the successful diversification of crop production in Saskatchewan, and it is a recognized name on Saskatchewan farms.
Directors message
The strength of the CDC is rooted in our history and connections. Our integration within the Department of Plant Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and our connections with our national and international collaborators has been vital to our success.Our stakeholders, funders, and government are equally important and the long-standing partnership with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the commitment of producer commissions, industry partners, and growers have paved the way for our success. But our greatest strength is our people. They represent our collective knowledge, and skills, and it is our collective know-how and interpersonal connections that facilitates our innovation.
We will continue to be a trusted partner and provider of varieties for both local and world markets and our research will continue to be leading edge and internationally recognized. Our work will be bold, deliberate, and strategic as we position ourselves as a leading constituent of the agri-food sector not only in Canada but also in the world.
Dr. Curtis Pozniak
Success grows our future
For over 50 years, the Crop Development Centre has contributed to the growth of western Canadian agriculture by developing over 500 crop varieties in over 30 different crop types for producers.
The CDC is an integral part of the Department of Plant Sciences within the College of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan. An advantage that uniquely positions the CDC to attract resources, while also benefitting from facilities and resources provided by the University, College and Department.
Researchers in the CDC and the Department of Plant Sciences share expertise in disciplines such as agronomy, pathology, entomology, physiology and genomics, biotechnology, and digital agriculture to ensure future cop varieties provide higher returns to producers. Together they offer world-class multidisciplinary training and real-world experience in crop development programs that align well with the needs of the industry.