Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz announced on February 11th the full removal of kernel visual distinguishability (KVD) as a variety registration screening criterion for all classes of Western Canadian wheat as of August 1, 2008. “Canadian farmers need access to the best crop science and varieties to be successful and the Government of Canada is working to give producers every advantage,” said Minister Ritz. “Moving beyond KVD will allow Canadian farmers to harness the potential of new crop varieties tailored to livestock nutrition and biofuel production.”

The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) announced in June 2006 that KVD would end for the minor classes of wheat by August 1, 2008. The recent announcement extends the

removal of KVD in 2008 to all classes of Western Canadian wheat, including Canada

Western Red Spring and Canada Western Amber Durum.

Removing the KVD requirements for wheat registration and segregation will allow for the development and registration of new high-yielding varieties of wheat suitable for other uses such as feed and biofuels, without requiring that they look different than milling wheats.