Hon. Tracy Muggli: Honourable senators, I rise today, Canada’s Agriculture Day, to acknowledge an incredible achievement and to congratulate Curtis Pozniak, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the Director of the Crop Development Centre, or CDC, who was recently awarded the BERTEBOS Prize in Sweden by His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, becoming just the second Canadian to win this prestigious award.
The BERTEBOS Prize has been awarded every second year since 1996 by the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry for highly qualified, pioneering development methods referring to food, agriculture, animal health or ecology.
In their announcement, Curtis was recognized for:
. . . his groundbreaking work in developing resilient, high-yielding wheat varieties adapted to sustainable farming systems in a changing climate.
They further stated:
He has developed new varieties that require little water and are resistant to diseases and insects. He has also mapped genes for disease resistance in wild grasses — an effort that may have practical value in developing future sustainable crops. His work is a significant contribution to increased and sustainable food production that reduces humanity’s environmental footprint.
In Saskatchewan and beyond, Curtis Pozniak’s research with his teams translates directly into results on the ground. He played a leadership role on an international team that led the development of a comprehensive wheat genome atlas by sequencing 15 different wheat varieties, which supports plant breeders and producers around the world.
Through his research and leadership in crop genetics and breeding, Dr. Pozniak has contributed directly to the development of improved wheat varieties with tangible benefits for farmers. His work addresses real-world challenges: productivity, resilience and sustainability in food systems.
Awards like this are never the result of one person. They reflect strong teams and the help of many partners. Curtis Pozniak has consistently acknowledged those contributions, and this recognition reflects that shared success.
I could not be more proud to recognize this fellow Saskatchewanian and his remarkable success. Indeed, he is our gold medallist.
Please join me in congratulating Curtis Pozniak. Thank you, meegwetch, marsee.