Syngenta Develops Benchstrength in Canadian Cereal Production

Jay Bradshaw, President of Syngenta Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Jim Bagshaw as national seeds marketing manager for cereals at Syngenta Canada. This is a newly-created position at Syngenta and signifies the company’s commitment to the cereals business both globally and in Canada, including wheat breeding, disease resistance, pest management and sustainability.

Bagshaw will work closely with Syngenta Crop Protection as well as Syngenta Seeds R&D teams in Morden, MB and Elm River, MB, to offer producers a comprehensive, sustainable and cost-effective cereals product portfolio designed to ‘bring plant potential to life’.

Francis Kirigwi, a wheat breeder with Syngenta Seeds Canada, and assistant Claude Durand, both based in Morden, MB, will work with Bagshaw to develop wheat varieties that will help prairie producers respond to the world’s growing need for food in an era marked by climate change and the emergence of new wheat diseases.

"Globally, Syngenta has always been a world leader in the development of wheat and barley cereal seed genetics,” says Jay Bradshaw, President, Syngenta Canada. “We are delighted to now provide dedicated resources to help further the development and improvement of these vital crops here in Canada. This new team will focus on wheat breeding with an emphasis on grain quality and disease resistance, to help Canadian farmers remain competitive in the global market, and to help combat the threat of diseases such as fusarium and stripe rust.”

"This is a tremendous opportunity for me to work with highly-talented people as we strive to make a difference to cereal producers worldwide - both on our farms here in Canada and small shareholder farmers in developing countries,” says Jim Bagshaw, of his new appointment. “We have to continue to develop wheat varieties that work within the confines of limited land and water and that will fit within sustainable agricultural systems to meet the needs of future generations. Water use efficiency, nitrogen efficiency, disease resistance and quality issues such as kernel weight and protein content, are all key R&D issues that keep us awake at night right now, but that one day will ensure crop security for wheat and cereals.”

From cereal seed genetics such as WR859CL, to seed care treatments including Cruiser Maxx® Cereals, and tried and trusted cereal herbicides such as Axial® and Horizon® NG, Syngenta provides a unique integrated approach to cereal crop production in Canada.