Canadian Barley Research Coalition

What Canadian Barley Research Coalition does

The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) is a national not-for-profit organization founded in 2020 and headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It was established as a collaboration among the Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley), Alberta Grains, and the Manitoba Crop Alliance (formerly the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association), with membership open to any organization or association interested in supporting barley research. CBRC's mandate is to coordinate and administer long-term barley research investments aimed at improving the profitability and competitiveness of western Canadian barley, an industry producing near 10 million tonnes annually with a farmgate value of approximately $4 billion.

CBRC's core offerings are research programs rather than commercial products. These include the National Barley Cluster (2023-2028), a $9.6 million five-year investment covering barley genetics, agronomy, quality, and sustainability, co-funded with over $5.2 million from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). CBRC also funds core barley breeding agreements with AAFC ($1,148,900 over 2025-2028) and the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC) ($1.8 million over 2025-2028, following a prior $2.7 million, 2020-2025 commitment). Additional programs include the GROW Agronomy Program ($1.5 million, 2024-2031, with BMBRI), and research activities spanning genomic selection, disease resistance, nitrogen use efficiency, nitrification inhibition, monogastric swine nutrition, and malt production sustainability. Outputs are disseminated to farmers and the value chain via news releases, the Building Better Barley podcast, annual reports, the biennial Barley Symposium, and industry publications such as the CMBTC Recommended Malting Barley Variety List.

CBRC's revenue model is producer-funded through member check-off investments and organizational membership fees, augmented by matched government co-funding from AAFC via Sustainable CAP. As a not-for-profit, CBRC does not sell products or services at price; research outputs (improved varieties, agronomic practices, scientific knowledge) are provided to farmers and industry at no direct charge. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors including a Chair, Vice-Chair, and President (currently Jill McDonald), with research funding decisions structured around multi-year core breeding agreements and a national cluster mechanism that aligns producer, private, and federal investment.

Name

Canadian Barley Research Coalition

Legal name

Canadian Barley Research Coalition

Website

https://barleyresearch.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) is a national not-for-profit, producer-funded coalition that coordinates and funds long-term barley research and breeding agreements across Canada, serving western Canadian barley farmers and the broader malt, feed, and food value chain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance) (EDAEALAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

Keywords

• Barley research funding
• Agricultural research coalition
• Crop breeding programs
• Producer check-off funding
• Agronomic research services

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, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Producer-Funded Research Investments: CBRC is funded through producer check-off investments and organizational membership fees from barley producer commissions and associations across Canada (Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, Alberta Grains, Manitoba Crop Alliance). These funds are then deployed into barley breeding agreements, agronomy research, and national research clusters.
2. Government Co-Funding (Sustainable CAP): CBRC leverages producer and private funding to secure matching government funds from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), a $3.5-billion, 5-year agreement (April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2028). Over $5.2 million in AAFC funding flows through the National Barley Cluster.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) is a national not-for-profit organization that coordinates and administers long-term barley research investments in Canada. It funds core barley breeding agreements with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC), administers the multi-year National Barley Cluster research program, and runs the GROW Barley agronomy grant program. CBRC is producer-funded through check-off investments from three founding provincial barley commissions (Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, Alberta Grains, and Manitoba Crop Alliance) and leverages these funds to secure matching government co-funding through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

Product overview

The Canadian Barley Research Coalition (CBRC) is a national not-for-profit organization that coordinates and funds barley research investments rather than offering a traditional product. Its core offerings include the National Barley Research Strategy framework, the National Barley Cluster research programs (2018-2023 and 2023-2028), Core Breeding Agreements with AAFC and the University of Saskatchewan's CDC, and the GROW Barley agronomy grant program. CBRC also produces educational content through the Building Better Barley Podcast and publishes industry reports including the CMBTC Recommended Variety Lists and CGC Harvest Survey Reports. The organization administers major research investments totaling over $15 million across multiple funding cycles to improve profitability and competitiveness for Western Canadian barley farmers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Barley Cluster 2023-2028 A $9.6 million five-year research investment (2023-2028) administered by CBRC to advance barley genetics, agronomy, quality, and sustainability through 13 research activities focused on climate adaptation, economic growth, and sector resilience.
• Core Barley Breeding Agreements Long-term funding agreements with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC) to support barley variety development with improved agronomics, disease resistance, and end-use quality. Current cycle: $1,148,900 with AAFC (2025-2028) and $1.8 million with CDC (2025-2028).
• GROW Barley Program Grant for Research Optimization of Western Barley Agronomy program providing competitive funding for barley agronomy research to keep barley competitive with other crops.
• National Barley Research Strategy Comprehensive research strategy framework serving as a resource for barley funders, researchers, and government to support the industry through key advances in research priorities and coordinated funding direction.

Quantifiable outcome

• National Barley Cluster aims to help Canadian barley farmers adapt to changing climate and environmental conditions while maintaining economic growth and building long-term resiliency in the whole value chain.
• +4 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Canadian Wheat Research CoalitionsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026CBRC collaborates with the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition on joint initiatives, including a May 2026 stakeholder workshop on the future of Western Canadian wheat and barley plant breeding, co-hosted in Winnipeg, MB.
• Seeds CanadasupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Seeds Canada participated as a stakeholder in the May 2026 joint visioning workshop for Western Canadian wheat and barley plant breeding, alongside CBRC, CWRC, and universities.
• University of ManitobasupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026University of Manitoba participated as a stakeholder in the May 2026 joint visioning workshop for Western Canadian wheat and barley plant breeding, and has researchers (Dr. Martin Nyachoti) involved in CBRC-funded barley research.
• University of Alberta, Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental SciencessupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026University of Alberta participated as a stakeholder in the May 2026 joint visioning workshop for wheat and barley plant breeding. Researchers Dr. Linda Gorim and Dr. Ruurd Zijlstra conduct CBRC-funded research on nitrification inhibition and swine nutrition respectively.
• University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre (CDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025CBRC has invested $2.7 million (2020-2025) and $1.8 million (2025-2028) in core barley breeding agreements with the CDC, one of Canada's leading barley breeding programs. The CDC develops barley varieties with improved agronomics, disease resistance, and end-use quality for western Canadian farmers.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024AAFC is the primary government research partner, providing over $5.2 million in funding through the Sustainable CAP AgriScience program for the National Barley Cluster (2023-2028). AAFC researchers across multiple research centers (Brandon, Lacombe, Swift Current, Ottawa, Morden) conduct barley breeding and agronomy research funded through CBRC-administered agreements. CBRC also funds core barley breeding agreements directly with AAFC researchers.
• Beef Cattle Research CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024Beef Cattle Research Council is a National Barley Cluster funder, supporting research that benefits the livestock feed sector of the barley value chain.
• Canadian Field Crop Research AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024A collaborative of provincial field crop organizations that participates in the National Barley Cluster as a funder. Members include Atlantic Grains Council, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Producteurs de grains du Québec, and SeCan.
• CBS Bio PlatformssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024Participates as a funder in the National Barley Cluster, supporting research relevant to barley utilization in bio-platform applications.
• Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute (BMBRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 February 2024BMBRI co-funds the $1.5 million GROW Agronomy Program over seven years alongside CBRC. BMBRI also participates in the National Barley Cluster as a producer organization funder, supporting research that benefits the malting and brewing value chain.
• Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CBRC's three founding member organizations. SaskBarley represents Saskatchewan barley producers and provides producer-funded research investments to CBRC. CBRC President Jill McDonald also serves as SaskBarley Executive Director. SaskBarley co-chairs the CBRC Board through its representative Scott Jesperson.
• Alberta GrainscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CBRC's three founding member organizations. Alberta Grains represents Alberta grain producers and provides producer-funded research investments to CBRC. Alberta Grains co-chairs the CBRC Board through its representative Scott Jesperson.
• Manitoba Crop AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CBRC's three founding member organizations (formerly Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association). Manitoba Crop Alliance represents Manitoba barley and grain producers and provides producer-funded research investments to CBRC.
• Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMBTC collaborates with CBRC on malting barley quality research and publishes the Recommended Malting Barley Variety List. Dr. Yueshu Li of CMBTC leads CBRC-funded research on malt production sustainability and brewing quality.
• Canadian Grain CommissionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGC conducts annual barley harvest quality surveys and publishes reports that are hosted on CBRC's industry page. CGC co-hosted the 2024 Barley Symposium alongside CBRC, BMBRI, and CMBTC.
• University of British ColumbiasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Nathan Pelletier of UBC is a co-investigator on CBRC-funded research examining environmental sustainability metrics of finished malt production in Canada.
• Western Crop InnovationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Crop Innovations (formerly the Western Canadian Crop Development Centre) conducts CBRC-funded barley breeding and climate adaptation research led by Dr. Yadeta Kabeta and Dr. Jennifer Zantinge.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Beef Cattle Research Council: National Barley Cluster funder supporting research that benefits the livestock feed sector of the barley value chain. Functions as a downstream value chain research partner rather than a structural peer coalition.
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC): Primary government research partner and Cluster co-funder providing $5.2M+ through Sustainable CAP, plus direct recipient of CBRC's core breeding agreements. Functions as both research performer and government co-investor rather than a peer coalition entity.
• Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission (SaskBarley): Founding member organization of CBRC and primary producer check-off collection body for Saskatchewan barley farmers. As a producer commission rather than research administrator, it is the upstream funder and governance participant rather than a direct research peer.
• Manitoba Crop Alliance: Founding member of CBRC (formerly Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association) representing Manitoba barley and grain producers. Provides producer-funded research investments as an upstream funder in the coalition model.
• Alberta Grains: Founding member of CBRC representing Alberta grain producers, providing producer-funded research investments and board representation. Functions as upstream funder and governance body rather than a peer research organization.

Direct peers

• Western Grains Research Foundation: Producer-funded western Canadian crop research foundation that historically funded barley varietal development before CBRC assumed that responsibility. Uses an identical producer check-off plus government matching model for crop research investment.
• Canadian Wheat Research Coalition: Sister crop research coalition for wheat using the same producer-funded model with provincial commissions (Sask Wheat, Alberta Grains, Manitoba Crop Alliance). CBRC and CWRC co-hosted a May 2026 stakeholder workshop on the future of Western Canadian plant breeding, demonstrating direct structural and operational comparability.
• Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance: Collaborative of provincial field crop organizations (Atlantic Grains Council, Grain Farmers of Ontario, Producteurs de grains du Québec, SeCan) participating as a National Barley Cluster funder. Operates a similar multi-provincial coalition model for cross-crop research funding.
• Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute (BMBRI): Barley-specific research funding organization focused on the malting and brewing value chain; CBRC's co-funder of the GROW Agronomy Program and a participating funder in the National Barley Cluster. Operates as a peer industry-funded research organization with overlapping barley focus.
• Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC): Technical centre supporting the malting barley value chain; collaborates with CBRC on malting barley quality research and publishes Recommended Malting Barley Variety Lists. Closely aligned peer in barley-specific industry research and commercialization.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Canadian Barley Research Coalition