CSAAC Executive Director
The Seed Synergy partners continue to work together on the next-generation seed system for Canada. The White Paper has been endorsed by the boards of CSAAC, CSI, CSTA, CPTA and CropLife Canada and has also been endorsed by the board of CSGA as a communications vehicle to consult with CSGA’s provincial membership.
The White Paper can be found in the Member’s Only area of CSAAC’s website under Seed Synergy. It is a policy position paper and does not yet get into details of how the next-generation seed regulatory system will work. As we head into the next phase of the planning process, this is where more details will start to emerge. We will be working on seed certification, single window and seed regulatory modernization over the coming months.
In the future, we may also be looking into forming working groups for various aspects of the new system. This would be an opportunity for all association members to be a part of helping form the new system.
What does all of this mean for analysts? It will be the time where we can start to dig in and work on the details. We will be able to determine what does and does not work in the current system and address these issues at the table and find solutions on how a new system can work to benefit our industry as well as the seed industry as a whole.
We have been patient, which at times has been hard considering we are a detail-oriented profession, but it is getting to the time where we can start working on some of these details. We have to understand, however, that it is not something that will happen overnight. It will take time and we need to keep an open mind and be willing to work jointly with the seed industry as a whole to improve the system.
The seed industry values the analysts and their contributions to the quality assurance of the system, and they also understand that we are a small but integral part of the seed certification process.
I believe we have already received many benefits from being a part of the Seed Synergy Collaboration Project. The five other seed associations have a greater understanding of who we are, what we do and why we do it. We also have a greater understanding of their associations.
They also understand the benefits our members receive from being a part of our association and the struggles that we have due to there not being a requirement for all accredited analysts to be a CSAAC member. The other associations have made sure that we have been able to attend all industry and Seed Synergy meetings and have made sure that we have the platform to have our voices heard.
There is a mutual respect and trust between all six associations and they all chip in to help each other out when needed. All six associations truly are working together to form the best next-generation seed regulatory system possible and government recognizes this and continues to work closely with us to help make this a reality.
