The Canadian Seed Growers’ Association sparked a big conversation in 2023: exploring expanded membership in an effort to build a what it calls a more inclusive certification system.
They say you sometimes need to look to the past to move forward. For the CSGA, this means exploring the reintroduction of affiliate and associate membership classes. The initiative aims to increase stakeholder agreement, fulfil its CSGA 2.0 business plan, and advance its Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) vision, the organization says.
At the Manitoba Seed Growers’ Association (MSGA) SeedLink Conference held in Brandon, Man., in December, CSGA executive director Doug Miller spoke to attendees and emphasized the what he said is the central question guiding CSGA’s vision for its current members: “How do we build a more diverse and inclusive seed certification system?”
As outlined in CSGA’s bylaws, a current regular member is considered any person, partnership, or organization producing or undertaking to produce pedigreed seed and provides such rights as attending member-to-member sessions, submitting proposals and voting at CSGA meetings. It should be noted that many seed companies, including the major life science companies, are already considered CSGA members.
