b"insured crop acres. It isnt a foolproof way to track illegal sales, but it does allow Seeds Canada to have an overview of what the situation is year to year, Churko adds.We certainly noticed that there can be significant swings in the use of certified seed in years where the condition of the crop coming off is relatively good. And so, we've been anticipating germination on a commercial harvest is reasonably well, he explains. We just noticed that the impact to certified sales, which do put money back into that investment structure, can take a significant hit in years where quality is good. We also noticed that certified seed sales jumped considerably in years where we expect quality to be bad. While Seeds Canada doesnt have confirmed data on illegal seed sales, there are instances where theyre confident it has happened. One instance is with a durum wheat variety commercially released in 2012. The variety had strong resistance to Fusarium compared to other varieties on the market. At the time, a small amount of seed was released. In 2016 it became the top durum variety grown in Western Canada based on crop insurance data.Which sounds like a success story, and for farmers it's a success story, Churko says. Certainly, a clear benefit downstream for the value chain because you've got a better product. And so, while it's been the highest growing insured acres, because that's where we get to see the actual varieties year by year, as a seed product we can't claim it to be really a success.While it was the top durum variety grown in 2016, only 22 per Anthony Parker, commissioner of plant breeders rights in CanadaWe have been a valued partner on your farm for decades.and continue our relentless pursuit of the best genetics.14seed.ab.ca"