What Western Grains Research Foundation does

Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is a farmer-funded and farmer-directed non-profit crop research funding organization headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1981, WGRF invests more than $12 million annually into breeding and field crop research on behalf of western Canadian grain and oilseed producers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Since inception, producers have invested over $240 million through check-offs on grain sales, supporting the development of more than 270 new wheat and barley varieties and a portfolio of 700+ funded research projects listed in a searchable public database. WGRF co-funds research with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Saskatchewan Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, the University of Alberta, Genome Canada, and prairie producer commodity groups, covering breeding, agronomy, pest management, disease resistance, and climate adaptation across wheat, barley, pulses, canola, flax, and oats.

WGRF's core platform consists of a curated research project database (wgrf.ca/projects) and specialized tools including the Midge Tolerant Wheat Stewardship Assurance Site (MTWSAS) for managing stewardship agreements on certified seed, and the Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network (PCDMN) for coordinated crop disease surveillance across the Prairies. It also runs the 'Field Heroes' awareness campaign for beneficial insects, the Canadian National Wheat Improvement Program ('The Harvest'), graduate scholarships, the Resilient Rotations initiative, and the WGRF Research Chairs Program. WGRF funds research rather than developing proprietary technology itself.

The organization is funded through producer check-offs on grain sales (its primary revenue source), government co-funding partnerships with federal and provincial agricultural programs, and an endowment fund. Rather than selling products or services, WGRF distributes capital to researchers and institutions through competitive funding cycles and co-funded multi-year agreements, with research outcomes disseminated through publications, the annual WGRF Research Review magazine, and extension services to farmers. Current leadership includes Executive Director Wayne Thompson and Board Chair Laura Reiter (subsequently succeeded by Terry Young).

Name

Western Grains Research Foundation

Legal name

Western Grains Research Foundation

Website

https://wgrf.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Western Grains Research Foundation is a farmer-funded, farmer-directed non-profit crop research funding organization based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, investing over $12 million annually into breeding and field crop research for western Canadian grain and oilseed producers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research Funding

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112), Wheat Farming (11114), Wheat Farming (111140)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Seed Production & Multiplication (Contract Growing, Foundation/Certified Seed) (AFABAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cereal & Grain Seeds (Wheat, Barley, Oats, Rye) (AFABAFAB), Grain Quality Testing (Moisture, Protein, Oil, Test Weight) (AFAOAMAB)

Keywords

• Crop research funding
• Agricultural breeding programs
• Agronomic research grants
• Wheat variety development
• Barley breeding research

Headquarters

HQ city

Saskatoon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Producer Check-offs: WGRF receives funding through producer check-offs on grain sales. Producers have invested over $240 million in breeding and crop research through WGRF since 1981. The organization is farmer funded and farmer directed.
2. Government Co-funding Partnerships: WGRF partners with federal programs (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), provincial Agriculture Development Funds, and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership for co-funding research projects.
3. Endowment Fund: WGRF Endowment Fund is used to fund crop research projects that benefit all producers through improved agricultural systems, technology and agronomic practices.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is a farmer-funded and farmer-directed non-profit that invests in crop research for Western Canadian grain producers. The foundation funds breeding, agronomy, genetics, disease resistance, pest management, and climate adaptation research across wheat, barley, pulses, canola, flax, oats, and other field crops, distributing capital to universities, government research centres, and producer commodity groups through co-funding partnerships. It has invested over $240 million since 1981, supports 700+ active projects, and has helped develop 270+ new wheat and barley varieties.

Product overview

Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) is a farmer-funded and farmer-directed crop research funding organization that operates as a single unified organization focused on increasing the profitability and sustainability of Western Canadian farmers through excellence in crop research. Rather than a platform with modular products, WGRF provides a portfolio of research funding programs and knowledge resources including a searchable Research Project Database (700+ projects), the annual WGRF Research Review magazine, and specialized monitoring networks (Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network). The organization also manages special initiatives including the Field Heroes beneficial insects awareness campaign, the Midge Tolerant Wheat Stewardship Assurance Site (MTWSAS), Graduate Scholarships, Resilient Rotations, and Canadian Agronomist. WGRF's research programming includes the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster and WGRF Research Chairs Program, all funded through producer investments exceeding $240 million since 1981.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Project Database A searchable database of more than 700 WGRF-funded research projects allowing researchers, producers, and the public to access details on past and present funded crop research by researcher, institution, keyword, or co-funder.
• WGRF Research Review Magazine Annual research review publication featuring articles on WGRF-funded crop research, including weeds, diseases, and agronomic topics for Western Canadian grain producers.
• Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network (PCDMN) Coordinated field crop disease monitoring program for the Canadian Prairies providing timely information about crop diseases and effective disease management strategies, with weekly email updates during the growing season.
• Field Heroes Campaign Awareness campaign providing information on scouting techniques and best management practices for integrated pest management focused on beneficial insects in crop production.
• Midge Tolerant Wheat Stewardship Assurance Site (MTWSAS) Secure web-based platform used by seed distributors, retailers, and seed growers to create electronically signed Stewardship Agreements and post sales transactions for Certified Midge Tolerant Wheat seed.
• Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster Multi-crop agronomy research cluster addressing soil health, herbicide resistance, climate change adaptation, and coordinating crop insects and disease monitoring across eight research activities.
• WGRF Research Chairs Program Program funding research chair positions at academic institutions to advance crop research capacity in Western Canada.
• WGRF Graduate Scholarships Scholarship program supporting graduate students pursuing studies in agriculture and crop research fields.

Quantifiable outcome

• 270+ new wheat and barley varieties developed
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Saskatchewan's Agriculture Development FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026$2.71 million committed to 15 new crop related research projects through ongoing co-funding partnership. Research focuses on variety development with enhanced resiliency through genetic improvement to diseases, insects, and trait development.
• University of Saskatchewan College of Agriculture and BioresourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2025$7 million investment towards critical facility improvements at CDC and Department of Soil Science as part of ongoing $32 million Capacity Initiative. Harrington Plant Growth Facility and Soil Science Field Facility.
• Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture - ADFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025$3.32 million committed to 22 new crop related projects through partnership with Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership and producer commodity groups.
• Organic Science Cluster IIImajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2018WGRF investing $675,000 towards 9 activities focused on organic soybean production, winter cereal breeding, diversified cropping strategies, weed management, and soil health.
• Integrated Crop Agronomy ClustercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2018$9 million total investment including $6.3M from Minister MacAulay, $1.6M from WGRF, and $1.1M from industry partners. Eight research activities from soil health to herbicide resistance and climate change adaptation.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2018Multiple partnerships including $21 million 5-year wheat and barley breeding agreement (2016), $6.3 million for Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster (2018), and $4+ million announced August 2023 for crop research and agronomy.
• Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture - Agriculture Development Fund (ADF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing co-funding partnership for crop research projects. WGRF established funding partnership with ADF in 2013 and has invested over $12.7 million into over 100 research projects in partnership with ADF and crop commissions.
• University of Saskatchewan - Crop Development Centre (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership funding barley variety development. CDC has released more than 70 malt, feed and food barley varieties since 1971. WGRF committed $2.4 million over five years with prairie barley commissions.
• University of AlbertacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWGRF invested $811,587 into wheat breeding program over five years. Focus on CWRS, CPS-R and CWGP wheat classes for higher yielding varieties.
• Prairie Producer Commodity GroupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with Alberta Barley, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers, Alberta Canola, Sask Canola, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and other provincial commodity organizations for co-funding research.
• Genome CanadamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for genomics research including ACTIVATing genomics to accelerate climate smart crop delivery project ($575,000) and PEACE project for climate-resilient field pea.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat): A Saskatchewan producer-funded commission that invests wheat check-off dollars into variety development and agronomy research. Directly comparable as a co-funder of WGRF-led wheat breeding programs at the Crop Development Centre.
• Alberta Wheat Commission: Alberta producer check-off organization funding wheat and barley research, including co-funding partnerships with WGRF. Operates the same farmer-funded, farmer-directed investment model.
• Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley): Saskatchewan barley producer check-off organization that co-funds WGRF's barley breeding programs at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre.
• Manitoba Crop Alliance: Manitoba producer organization funding wheat, barley, corn, sunflower, and flax research. Comparable as a prairie-based check-off investor that partners with WGRF on variety development.
• Alberta Barley: Alberta producer check-off organization funding barley research, including the $2.4M WGRF-coordinated barley breeding commitment at the Crop Development Centre.

Broad incumbents

• Cereals Canada: National value-chain organization representing the Canadian cereals industry, including producers, breeders, and processors. Comparable as an industry-funded institution advancing Canadian wheat and barley research and market development.
• Canola Council of Canada: National canola industry organization funding canola agronomy and variety research. Comparable as a producer-funded crop research investor working alongside WGRF on canola breeding.
• Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR): US-based non-profit that leverages public and producer funding to advance agricultural research. Comparable as a producer/industry-funded research foundation operating in crop variety development and agronomy.
• Genome Canada: National genomics research funding organization partnering with WGRF on crop genomics projects (ACTIVATing genomics, PEACE). Comparable as a co-investor in crop genetic improvement research.

Direct peers

• Crop Development Centre (CDC) – University of Saskatchewan: University of Saskatchewan crop breeding research centre that receives the majority of WGRF's wheat and barley funding. Directly comparable as the primary execution partner for variety development WGRF underwrites.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FieldHeroes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/western-grains-research-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Western Grains Research Foundation