New Wheat Variety Named After Late Local Woman

Reprinted with permission from Swift Current Online.

Originally Published: March 6, 2025

A Swift Current woman was given a lasting legacy after the recent naming of a new wheat variety, AAC Oakman, as a tribute to her life.

Local technician Lesley Oakman played an instrumental role in developing the new wheat variety at the Swift Current Research and Development Centre before unfortunately losing her life to cancer.

Dr. Richard Cuthbert, a Swift Current wheat breeder with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, noted that Oakman passed away in 2020 and due to the pandemic, a proper memorial wasn’t able to be held for her.

“We thought of some ways we could honour Lesley and when this new variety came along, we had the opportunity to name it when it was registered,” he said. “The seed company that licensed it was willing to allow us to choose the name and we chose AAC Oakman.

Cuthbert describes the ACC Oakman wheat variety as a hardy plant with enhanced bread-making qualities and various disease, pathogen, and insect resistant qualities. “Lesley Oakman started with us around 1999, I believe,” he shared.

Lesley was a good friend and colleague to many people in the program and was well known in the community in various ways. This is a way we can remember Lesley and the name will live on for a long time, not just in Canada, but that variety will be used by others globally for furthering breeding efforts.

Lesley was a longtime member of the Swift Current Oratorio Choir (alto voice), and contributed greatly in promoting the choir’s concert and activities.