The Canadian seed industry could possibly see five of its six associations merge into one as the Seed Synergy Collaboration Project ramps up.
At a Seed Synergy update session and workshop hosted jointly today by the Canadian Seed Trade Association and Canadian Seed Growers’ Association in Montreal, conversation focused heavily on the need for the industry to speak with a single voice. The boards of the five dedicated seed associations, Canadian Seed Trade Association, Canadian Seed Growers’ Association, Canadian Seed Institute, Commercial Seed Analysts’ Association of Canada and the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, have given preliminary direction to explore a possible merger of those organizations, in addition to a formal alignment with CropLife Canada modelled on the existing CropLife Canada-CSTA Memorandum of Understanding.
The intent is to create a streamlined model for information management, advocacy, service provision and provide greater value for the industry’s collective members, and, most importantly, to amplify the impact of the various complementary functions within the Synergy organizations.
No official board decision has been made, and many questions remain unresolved, it was noted. A Seed Synergy white paper is expected to be released this coming fall which will lay out an ultimate vision for a revamped Canadian seed system.
Also discussed were four key mandated areas that the project is focusing on to improve and streamline the Canadian seed system:
- Client/Member Experience
- Enabling Plant Breeding Innovation
- Stimulating Innovation and Value Creation
- Next-Generation Traceability/Seed Certification Framework
For further documentation visit https://www.seedsynergy.net/whatsnew/.
