Winter wheat provides critical habitat for ducks, birds, and other wildlife by providing additional foliage and groundcover for nesting in the spring that otherwise wouldn’t be available.
Growing Western Canadian Winter Wheat is one of the simplest ways farmers can support the nesting habitats of Canadian wildlife on the prairies, which is proven by research conducted by Ducks Unlimited Canada.
The ecolabel will help you identify food and drink items made using Western Canadian Winter Wheat. With the Habitat-Friendly Winter Wheat ecolabel, Canadians can feel confident that the choices they make are having a positive impact on the environment by supporting wildlife habitats.



The Habitat-Friendly Winter Wheat Ecolabel helps you identify the environmentally friendly products you are looking for to help make a difference.

Western Canadian winter wheat offers a variety of operational and economic benefits that further support grower sustainability goals.


Starting in the 1970s, Ducks Unlimited Canada noticed pintail populations were declining due to habitat loss. The Canadian conservation organization became interested in how farming and wildlife can live better together. This led to the discovery that winter wheat is a great option for farmers that also benefits upland nesting birds. Studies show that ducks nesting in winter wheat are 24 times more successful than those nesting in spring planted cereal crops. To encourage the use of winter wheat, we created the Winter Wheat Ecolabel Program to help Canadians make informed and sustainable purchases decisions.

The Habitat-Friendly Winter Wheat claim is endorsed by Ducks Unlimited Canada and backed by extensive research, demonstrating that winter wheat provides additional nesting habitat for wildlife—especially waterfowl and songbirds—on the Canadian Prairies.