b'now, there was no central source to track varieties across borders and regulatoryDOUG MILLER TO LEAD AOSCA INTO A NEW ERA systems. Transparency is the currency of global trade, and AOSCAs move inchesThe Association of Official Seed Certifyingtools, forging cross-border partnerships, North America closer to it. Agencies (AOSCA) has tapped Doug Miller,and positioning certified seed as a Why It Matters Now executive director of the Canadian Seedcornerstone of food security. Those With climate shocks battering yields andGrowers Association (CSGA), as its nextpriorities, AOSCA signaled, will carry geopolitical tension making food securitypresident, beginning with the 20262027forward under his leadership.a national priority, the underpinningsterm. Doug brings a forward-looking approach of agriculturethe rules, records, andMiller will succeed Billy Skaggs of theand a deep understanding of certification trust that come with certified seedareGeorgia Crop Improvement Association,processes, says AOSCA CEO Sarah no longer niche. Theyre strategic. whose tenure from 2024 to 2026 wasWilbanks. Were excited for the future We do a lot of work behind themarked by efforts to strengthen cohesionunder his leadership.scenes, Wilbanks says. But its workacross AOSCAs member agencies. TheMillers presidency is expected to that keeps agriculture moving forwardorganization publicly thanked Skaggsemphasize innovation, interagencyand keeps markets open. for his dedication, professionalism, andalignment, and the expansion of AOSCAs Canada will host AOSCAs annualsteady support. global reach. With seed certification at meeting in 2027, a symbolic move thatMiller steps into the role at a criticalthe intersection of agricultural standards, underscores how much Ottawas part- moment for seed certification. At CSGA,international trade, and food supply nership matters in shaping the nexthe has driven one of the most ambitiousresilience, his appointment is seen as both chapter of seed certification. By then, themodernization campaigns in Northstrategic and timely.question wont be whether certificationAmerican agricultureintroducing digital has modernized. It will be whether it modernized fast enough. 10 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA NOVEMBER 2025'