Plant Breeders, Apply Now for the 2026 Seed of the Year Award!
Seed of the Year is an initiative recognizing plant breeders. Through the program’s application process, breeders are encouraged to highlight their research accomplishments in developing a new variety of field crops, forages, fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Applications from across Canada will be considered. Nominations will remain on file for three years and be re-nominated automatically and reviewed for consideration as a Seed of the Year finalist.
Get your application in by Feb. 27, 2026. The 2026 winner will be announced in the July edition of Seed World Canada.
Application Guidelines
Innovation
- How was the variety created?
- Were any innovative technologies used?
- Was a unique approach used in breeding or development?
Impact on the industry
- How has the variety performed?
- Has it saved the end-user money or enhanced profits?
- Does it have special traits that allow it to flourish in specific locations (weather resistant, flood resistant or drought resistant)?
- Is the product filling a void (on-farm, nationally or internationally) such as a nutrition deficiency or food shortage?
Presence throughout the value chain
- Was the variety used to develop other cultivars?
- Can the variety be used in multiple end-use markets?
- Can any by-products created in using this variety be used for other products?
- How close is the product to its end-use when it leaves the farmer’s gate? (Does the farmer have costs such as drying, cleaning, or processing before sale?)
Sustainability
- How many years can this variety be expected to produce?
- Does the variety need additional inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides or herbicides to be productive?
- How sustainable has the variety been compared with competitor’s products?
Marketability
- What market is the variety filling?
- How is the variety marketed?
- Are there specific aspects or properties that make it more marketable?
- How does this variety rank compared to competitors?