When it comes to the Canadian seed industry, you might hear the name Doug Miller and recognize it immediately. As the executive director of the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA), Miller has been tirelessly advocating for Canadian agriculture and the seed sector his entire career.
“It is a great honor for me to serve in my current capacity and represent Canada’s seed crop certification system and our 3,100 seed grower members from coast-to-coast,” Miller, one of Seed World’s Top 10 Next Gen Leaders, says. “I am constantly inspired by the work our sector does to produce high-quality seed and feed the world, which makes my work and telling our sector’s story enjoyable.”
What drives him? Agriculture and technology, fostered by his upbringing around his family farm in rural Quebec and coming of age in a time when the internet was just beginning to impact our lives. That passion has driven him in many of his initiatives with CSGA throughout his tenure.
“For the last eight years, I have led the digital transformation of the seed sector, helping industry adopt new digital strategies and tools,” Miller says. “Through the adoption of digital tools, we’ve been able to transform our service delivery model and provide more timely access to information for our producers and stakeholders, reducing certification decisions from weeks to hours.”
But, when it comes down to it, Miller says the seed industry’s unique role in agriculture and food production keeps him around — from being the first link in the food chain all the way down to the consumer level.
“In Canada, we certify over 64 different crop kinds ranging from the big three (corn, wheat, soy) to niche and innovative crop kinds that will be the next alternative biofuels, superfoods, and cover crops needed to fight climate change,” he says. “When you take a step back and consider that nine out of ten bites of food globally start with seed, it is truly incredible and signifies our sector’s importance in feeding the world.”
Want to read more of our Top 10 Next Gen Leaders? Check out:
Anya Gandy Takes Sustainability to the Next Level
Magan Lewis Creates Sparks in Those Around Her
Seed World Announces 2022’s Top 10 Next Generation Leaders
Jordan Cremer Says Building Trust is Key to Working with Customers
