This reminder is brought to you by the Midge Tolerant Wheat Stewardship Team.

As you plan for next spring, it’s important to remember what you committed to when you signed the Midge Tolerant Wheat Stewardship Agreement. It includes vital steps that every grower must take to protect the midge tolerance gene for future use.

Basically, you agreed that you’ll use the technology responsibly – that means limiting the use of farm-saved seed to one generation past Certified. This ensures that the interspersed refuge system contained in the varietal blend is maintained. The refuge disrupts the midge’s ability to produce resistant offspring and prevents the build-up of a resistant midge population. By adhering to this stewardship practice, research scientists estimate it will take about 90 years for midge tolerance to break down.

Your actions matter

If you don’t follow the Stewardship Agreement, you will contribute to the development of a resistant midge population. This doesn’t just affect your farm – midge know no borders – you’re impacting neighbouring farms and beyond. Your actions could eventually render the midge tolerance gene ineffective and eliminate a valuable tool from your toolbox.

The online Stewardship Agreement is evergreen – you only need to sign it once, but your stewardship obligations last for as long as you grow Midge Tolerant Wheat. Let’s work together to keep Midge Tolerant Wheat technology in everybody’s toolbox for years to come.

The Midge Tolerant Wheat website at midgetolerantwheat.ca is a great resource if you have any questions.