12 Aug 2009 Cargill has entered into an agreement with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) to license WARF’s patented canola breeding technology. The technology – formally titled “Hybrid, spring brassica napus with winter germplasm introgression” – involves the use of traditional breeding techniques to introgress traits from winter canola lines into spring canola lines, resulting in higher spring yields. Introgression is the movement of a gene from one species into the gene pool of another.

“Licensing this technology from WARF supports Cargill’s commitment to development and innovation in the canola industry,” said Jenny Verner, president, Cargill Specialty Canola Oils. “Cargill is dedicated to serving the entire canola supply chain, providing high-yielding, specialty oil VICTORY hybrids to farmers that ultimately result in Clear Valley canola oil with zero grams trans fat per serving and low levels of saturated fat for our customers and the consumers they serve.”

Spring canola varieties grown mainly in Canada and the northern United States are typically lower yielding than winter type canola varieties adapted to survive the more moderate winters in Europe.

“WARF’s patented technology provides a method for transferring many of the high-yielding components of winter canola into the growth habit of a spring line,” said Paul Pucci, WARF licensing associate. “The results are higher-yielding spring canola hybrids adapted to the spring canola production areas of North America. For Cargill, it means the opportunity to further enhance the industry leading yields of its specialty oil VICTORY hybrids to the benefit of North American canola growers and to continue to supply the increasing market for Cargill’s Clear Valley high stability canola oil – a valuable benefit to farmers and throughout the entire supply chain.”