Managing Director, Communications and Client Services
Canadian Seed Growers’ Association
The Canadian Seed Growers’ Association has long recognized the importance of engaging members to help inform its position on industry issues, improve association values, develop policies and set our strategic focus.
More than ever, we are encouraging our members to engage and participate in the discussion on a National Seed Organization (NSO).
During the Interprovincial Seed Growers’ Meeting this November in Saskatoon, seed growers will hear presentations by StrategyCorp, a consulting advisory firm, which will include proposals for the governance and organizational structure of a NSO.
The meeting will include a two-hour CSGA Special Member Meeting on Nov. 20 to seek member support on CSGA board positions.
For those who cannot participate in the Interprovincial meeting in Saskatoon, we encourage you to attend your local provincial seed grower branch meeting this winter to hear the presentations and have an opportunity to provide feedback on the proposal for the NSO.
Combined, these meetings will represent a “grassroots rollout” of these proposals to build a NSO for our country. Based on feedback from these engagements, the CSGA board will decide whether CSGA and the seed industry are on the right path or whether adjustments are required.
Much credit is due to our president Jonathan Nyborg and our provincial boards, which are represented by Roy Klym who sits on the Seed Synergy Oversight Committee.
“Members understand the issues best because they are part of the community most affected by the problems at hand.”
They have helped to guide CSGA in moving forward with NSO discussions and ensuring members from across the country have their voices heard.
More than ever, we need our members to let us know what their vision of the future looks like, for both the association and the industry as a whole, and whether the soon-to-be-released proposal meets that vision.
Member engagement in this discussion is important because positive change rarely occurs or endures if it comes from the top-down.
Members understand the issues best because they are part of the community most affected by the problems at hand. Having members attend these branch meetings to hear the presentations, provide feedback, and engage in fruitful discussions on this proposal will help ensure we get it right.
Members are encouraged to look out for the December issue of CSGA’s magazine Seed to Succeed for articles detailing the NSO proposal, and should continue to look for updates and engagement opportunities on our website seedgrowers.ca, in our Seed Scoop newsletter and in this space in Germination as we move ahead with modernizing our industry for the future.
A full listing of upcoming provincial branch meetings is available at seedgrowers.ca/calendar/seed-industry-important-dates/
