The University of Guelph is seeking input from farmers to better understand the opportunities and challenges associated with growing pseudocereals, including buckwheat and quinoa.
Researchers are conducting a study to assess the current knowledge, familiarity, perceptions, and experiences of growers and processors regarding pseudocereals. The goal is to identify barriers to cultivation and utilization while exploring opportunities to expand production and market development across Canada.
Importantly, farmers do not need to currently grow buckwheat or quinoa to participate. Researchers are interested in hearing from producers with all levels of experience, including those who have never grown these crops. Understanding why farmers choose to adopt or not adopt pseudocereals is a key objective of the study.
Grower feedback will help researchers:
- Assess current awareness and perceptions of pseudocereals
- Identify agronomic, economic, and marketing challenges
- Better understand factors influencing adoption decisions
- Explore opportunities for sector growth and diversification
- Inform future research, extension, and industry development efforts
The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and will remain open until January 31, 2027.
All responses will remain confidential. The study has received ethics approval through the University of Guelph Research Ethics Board (REB Procedure #1814). Anonymized results will be used to develop reports that may be published in academic journals or presented at academic conferences. Findings may also help inform government agencies, growers, processors, and others with an interest in pseudocereal production.
Participate in the Survey
Please complete the survey using the following link: Grower survey – buckwheat and quinoa | Qualtrics Survey
This research is being conducted by:
- Dr. Iris Joye, Department of Food Science, University of Guelph
- Dr. Andreas Boecker, Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Guelph
- Emily Lin (MSc Researcher), Department of Food Science, University of Guelph
Questions about the study can be directed to ijoye@uoguelph.ca or elin01@uoguelph.ca.
By sharing your perspective, you will help advance knowledge about pseudocereal production and support efforts to diversify crop production opportunities for Canadian farmers.