Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
March 30, 2016
Winnipeg-based CANTERRA SEEDS and the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC), are pleased to announce the finalization of their agreement for the exclusive rights to produce and distribute CDC pea varieties in the United States. The pea varieties will be sold through CANTERRA SEEDS' US affiliate, Meridian Seeds.
After an open-bid competition, CANTERRA SEEDS was awarded the rights in early 2015. Since that time, CANTERRA SEEDS, Meridian Seeds, and the CDC have worked diligently to determine the varieties to include within the agreement, giving proper consideration to the needs of growers. The varieties included at the outset of the agreement are:
- CDC Amarillo
- CDC Meadow
- CDC Patrick
- CDC Raezer
- CDC Saffron
- CDC Treasure
Varieties will be added to the list as new varieties become available.
Similar to CANTERRA SEEDS, Meridian Seeds is a network of seed-grower shareholders and licensees. The US affiliate has doubled in size over the past three years and is represented in over 12 states.
"Growers have been eager to get their hands on these varieties here in the US," said Andy Draeger, General Manager of Meridian Seeds. "The CDC pea varieties have performed very well in US trials, and we expect uptake to be swift this spring."
The CDC is a world-renowned field crop research organization that operates through the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. Many of Canada's dominant pulse, cereal and flax varieties have been developed at the CDC. With its mandate to improve economic returns to farmers and the agriculture industry, the CDC has produced over 400 new crop varieties since its inception in 1971.
"We are pleased indeed to have concluded this agreement with CANTERRA SEEDS and Meridian Seeds, ensuring high-performing CDC pea varieties will continue to be marketed to US producers. We fully expect US pea growers will continue to patronize CDC varieties, and are committed to reinvesting the resulting royalties into the development of even better pea varieties for growers," said Kofi Agblor, Managing Director Crop Development Centre.
Pedigreed pea seed of the above varieties will be exported to the Meridian Seeds members in the US for planting in the spring of 2016. For more information, please visit www.meridianseeds.com, or contact Andy Draeger, General Manager of Meridian Seeds, 701-347-9965, adraeger@meridianseeds.com.
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