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PROVIDING Cost-Effective SOLUTIONS How to Be In the Know on Changing Trends PublicationsMailAgreement40030841 NOVEMBER 2015 germination.ca Crosby Devitt leads the Canadian Seed Trade Association with innovation and collaboration top of mind. TAKING theHELM Demand for Biologicals Means SCALING UP NICHE VARIETY Finds Home in New Wheat Class Meet CSGAS New EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ACollectiveApproachto ScienceCommunications For generations the Bolton family has been producing high quality certified seed of SeCan genetics on our farm near Dublin Ontario. Its in our genes. Genes that fit your farm and Its in our genes are registered trademarks of SeCan. www.secan.com Its in our genes. Its in our genes. NOVEMBER 2015 1 features CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2015 departments If youre waiting for a report its likely too late to be on the front end and it takes time to build up all that seed. Strategy Session 12 Much like today in the late 1990s the federal government was looking to cut costs by delegating responsibility to the seed industry. Giant Views 64 CSTA 48 CSGA 50 CSAAC 52 Cross Pollination 54 Regulatory Roundup 56 World Status 58 Industry News 60 04 TradeAgreementOpens MarketAccess The Trans-Pacific Partnership means new opportunities for trade. 06 NewWheatClass Niche wheat variety along with 28 others will be put in a new interim wheat class come 2017. 08 TakingtheHelm With innovation and collaboration top of mind Crosby Devitt steers CSTA toward its goals. 16 TheRisksofRegulation New reports shows flaws of poor policy-making. 18 BehindthePushto Protect What you need to know about Ontariosmovetoprotectpollinators. 22 The2015SeedIndustry Checkout the latest industry statistics and update your talking points. 24 06 24 MeetGlynChancey The Canadian Seed Growers Associations new executive director looks to set new goals for the future. 28 ACollectiveApproach Media myths about science and the seed industry will take a collective approach to overcome. 38 InnovationinBreeding International working group seeks to influence policy around new breeding methods. 40 SequencingWheat More financing is need to sequence the full genome of bread wheat. 44 DemandforBiologicals RequiresScalingUp BASF expands its facility for the research and development manufacture and distribution of its biological products. 2 November 2015 - Vol.20 No.5 The magazine of the Canadian seed industry PUBLISHED BY Issues Ink 6327435 Canada Ltd. 403-313 Pacific Avenue Winnipeg MB R3A 0M2 Phone 204 453-1965 Fax 204 475-5247 email issuesissuesink.com Germination.ca PUBLISHER Shawn Brook sbrookissuesink.com EDITOR Julie Deering jdeeringissuesink.com EDITORIAL Mark Halsall mhalsallissuesink.com Lindsay Hoffman lhoffmanissuesink.com Shannon Schindle sschindleissuesink.com Marc Zienkiewicz mzienkiewiczissuesink.com MARKETING Craig Armstrong carmstrongissuesink.com Katelyn Daman kdamanissuesink.com Hiten Shah hshahissuesink.com Grayson Smart gsmartissuesink.com CREATIVE Theresa Kurjewicz Lesley Nakonechny DIGITAL Nick Buhr Kyle Dratowany Jill Hollosi Caleb MacDonald Lynne Roy CIRCULATION Dean French dfrenchissuesink.com CONTRIBUTORS Kari Belanger Roy Van Wyk EDITORIAL BOARD Dave Akister Holly Gelech Shaun Haney Todd Hyra Doug Knight Lee Markert Ryan Murray Tim Welbanks SUBSCRIPTIONS Canada 47.25year including GST Foreign 95year Germination makesnoexpressedorimpliedwarrantiesofmerchantabilityor fitnessforaparticularpurposeorotherwiseconcerningtheuseofanyproductand assumesnoliabilityforanyinjuryordamagedirectorconsequentialincurredfrom theuseofsuchproductsorservicestherein.FederalProvincialandMunicipallaws andregulationssupersedetheinformationcontainedherein. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40030841. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Issues Ink 403-313 Pacific Avenue Winnipeg MB R3A 0M2 PRINTED IN CANADA Please recycle where facilities exist. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher GERMINATION.CA Could you grow your business if you could find the people LITHERLAND COMPANY is a Canadian- based search management firm specializing in the placement of professionals and leaders within the AgriBusiness AgriFood and Bioproduct sectors. Since 1993 weve worked closely with decision makers to clarify need perform the search and arrive at the successful conclusion - an accepted offer. We gain the attention and trust of candidates who are employed and not actively looking. Find value in a conversation with us. To explore contact Lori Litherland at 416-868- 4888 or by email at LTLLitherlandco.com www.Litherlandco.com FULLY ACCREDITED SEED LAB NO. 1215 EMPLOYEE OWNED OPERATED CALL US TODAY 1-866-980-8324 ofceseedcheck.net www.seedcheck.net Like us on Seed Testing is our Passion Seed Check Technologies was born from a true desire to provide a seed testing laboratory based on Integrity Consistent Reliability Outstanding Customer Service. Join us in natural Uruguay The International Seed Federation together with the Uruguayan Seed Chamber CUS and the Uruguayan Plant Breeders Association URUPOV will be organizing and hosting the ISF World Seed Congress 2016. The ISF World Seed Congress will take place in Punta Del Este Uruguay internationally recognized as one of the top resorts in the Americas and a unique natural destination at the intersection of the Rio de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean. Nature is an essential part of Uruguays identity. Agriculture and farming are successfully linked to the countrys economy. Land people soul spirit traditions food - its all about nature All of nature is here Uruguay is where something natural happens every day Uruguay 2016 4 YEARSof negotiation intensified in the late summer months. It wasnt until Oct. 5 that officials announced a deal had been reached with the Trans-Pacific Partnership TPP an agreement among 12 nations. According to the government The TPP agreement will give Canada preferential access to dynamic and growing Asia-Pacific markets. Additionally tariffs and other barri- ers faced by a wide range of Canadian products including agricultural products will be cut. Countries participating in the TPP are Australia Brunei Canada Chile Japan Malaysia Mexico New Zealand Peru Singapore the United States and Vietnam. While there was varying support among different agricul- tural groups there are a few components that directly affect the seed industry. For the seed industry the TPP is expected to help improve the trade of seed with attention given to sanitary and phy- tosanitary standards biotechnology regulatory cooperation and streamlined customs administration procedures. The TPP includes a strong Sanitary and Phytosanitary SPS Chapter including provisions on regionalization equivalence and science and risk analysis. These pro- visions will likely help ensure that market access gains are not negatively impacted by unjustified SPS-related restrictions. While addressing the issue of unjustified SPS-related restric- tions the chapter also safeguards the right of each party to take measures necessary to protect human animal or plant life or health. To help with the balancing act this chapter establishes a mechanism that allows SPS issues to be addressed by experts resulting in enhanced cooperation and resolution of issues. When it comes to biotechnology government representa- tives report that they have secured provisions on products of modern biotechnology. This emphasizes the importance of transparency in each countrys science-based approval processes for biotechnology products. According to the office of Foreign Affairs Trade and Development Canada the text of the TPP addresses low- level presence in a way that minimizes adverse trade impacts of current regulatory practices. It also includes the establishment of a working group to address biotech- related issues. These measures should benefit Canadian seed companies and producers of biotech products as well as farmers. Despite the celebrations in reaching a deal it might take a while before TPP can be implemented. All 12 countries involved must ratify the final legal text which hadnt been released at the time of print. Additionally getting the deal through the Republican-held U.S. Congress could be especially tricky with just a year before the countrys next presidential election. Julie Deering TPP PROVIDES NEW OPPORTUNITIES Phytosanitary issues regulatory cooperation and biotechnology are all part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and directly impact the seed industry. With negotiations complete Stephen Harpers administration might best be remembered for its painstaking work on the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Meridian SmoothWall The Gold Standard in Quality Not all bins are created equal. Watch our videos online www.meridianmfg.comvideos Find your nearest dealer at meridianmfg.comlocator 2015 Meridian Manufacturing Inc. Registered Trademarks used under License. meridianmfg.com High Capacity Meridian offers a true 18 SmoothWall bin for your storage needs. The seamless interior results in a long-lasting bin thats easy to unload without the need for additional clean out. Incredibly Durable Our powder coat finish has twice the salt spray rating of regular powders and has superior adhesion ensuring a smooth long-lasting finish over all seams and smooth surfaces. Versatile Our bins offer top quality storage for a wide variety of products including grain seed feed and fertilizer. High Resale Value Because you dont need to take them apart for transportation our SmoothWall bins have a high resale value. But dont take our word for it watch our testimonial videos to see what our customers are saying. Take for example our 18 SmoothWall Hopper bin 6 PhotoLesleyNakonechny. The Canadian Grain Commission assigned Elgin ND a high-yielding milling wheat with a full disease package and lodging resistance to a new wheat class the parameters are still under development. CHANGESto Western Canadas milling wheat classes have opened up marketing opportunities for a new variety of wheat introduced at a field tour hosted by FP Genetics. Held at Richardsons Kelburn Farm this summer FP Genetics staff highlighted Elgin ND an awned wheat variety developed by North Dakota State University NDSU researchers. Elgin ND is a high-yielding milling wheat with a full disease package and lodg- ing resistance. The variety is being marketed to growers seeking high yield and maximum revenue per acre. Its also filling what FP Genetics CEO Rod Merryweather says is a new niche in the wheat market created by the recent wheat class changes. The Canadian Grain Commission CGC announced an interim wheat class for varieties not eligible for the Canada Western Red Spring CWRS class. Elgin ND has been designated as a variety in addition to the Faller and Prosper varieties that has been assigned to the new class by the CGC. The com- mission and industry are working to develop detailed quality parameters for the class. Its an opportunity for growers as well as us to introduce a new vari- ety that can give everyone involved a good return on their investment Merryweather says. If we want to be competitive in the wheat market we have to look for these opportunities when they arise. In response to customer complaints about the low gluten strength of Canadian wheat the CGC proposes WheatClassChangesCreate NicheforNewVariety Elgin ND finds its place as part of a new interim wheat class. NOVEMBER 2015 7 to designate 29 varieties of CWRS and Canada Prairie Spring Red CPSR wheat to another class as of Aug. 1 2017. In an evaluation of varieties against the revised quality parameters for the CWRS and CPSR classes the CGC deter- mined these varieties do not meet the quality characteristics of their current designated class namely appropriate protein and gluten levels. The new interim wheat class forms a kind of general purpose milling wheat class that can be used by millers Merryweather says. I believe we will develop a significant market for this class of wheat and Elgin will fit into it nicely he says. The NDSU Research Foundation has exclusively licensed the Elgin ND wheat variety in Canada to FP Genetics. Elgin ND is also protected by Plant Variety Protection in the United States and as a result can only be sold as a class of certified seed and by variety name. First sales of certified Elgin ND will be available to commercial growers in 2016 according to Merryweather. We dont have all the results in yet but were hearing 55 to 75 bushel-per-acre yields which is every bit as good as any of the other wheats in the market like Prosper and Faller he says. According to North Dakota variety trial results for 2012 Elgin NDs yield beat five of the top six most popular varieties for the year in eastern North Dakota. The average yield in 2012 for Elgin ND across eastern North Dakota locations was 62.6 bushels per acre compared with 58.2 bushels for Barlow the variety with the most acres planted in the state in 2012. Elgin ND has protection against the new leaf rust race Lr21 although it still shows some susceptibility according to FP Genetics. Most commercial vari- eties available do not have resistance to leaf rust race Lr21. Elgin ND is also rated in the United States as moder- ately resistant to scab or Fusarium head blight. Marc Zienkiewic The perfect hire is closer than you think. The perfect hire is closer than you think. www.agcallhr.com Agriculture is our focus. Talent is our business. www.agcallhr.comlinkedin www.agcallhr.comtwitter www.agcallhr.comfacebook CGCAnnouncesVariety DesignationChanges After consulting value chain stakeholders and evaluating the varieties the Canadian Grains Commission determined that 29 varieties do not meet revised quality parameters for the Canada Western Red Spring CWRS and Canada Prairie Spring Red CPSR wheat classes. The CGC will designate these varieties to another class Aug. 1 2017. The CWRS varieties include AC Abbey AC Cora AC Eatonia AC Majestic AC Michael AC Minto Alvena Alikat CDC Makwa CDC Osler Columbus Conway Harvest Kane Katepwa Leader Lillian McKenzie Neepawa Park Pasqua Pembina Thatcher Unity 5603HR The CPSR varieties include AC Formost AC Taber Conquer Oslo Meet CSTAs New Executive Director INJuly the Canadian Seed Trade Association appointed Crosby Devitt as the organizations new executive director. Coming from the Grain Farmers of Ontario GFO Devitt says he is proud to continue working for an industry that he is passionate about. GFO is a member of CSTA and as a result Devitt has been an active participant within the association for a number of years attending meetings and contributing to committees and working groups. As a member of executive director search committee Scott Horner CSTA president and general manager of HyTech Production Ltd. is excited to have Devitt join the CSTA team. His previous position as vice-president of strategic devel- opment at GFO gave him excellent experience and helped prepare him for the role of executive director with skills and knowledge that can be directly applied here Horner says. Crosby is knowledgeable about the issues important to our industry as hes participated in variety registration discus- sions regulatory modernization and funding innovation. This familiarity with both the association and our issues will allow him to pick up where Patty Townsend left off without missing a beat. As the latest addition to the Canadian Seed Trade Association Crosby Devitt leads with collaboration and innovation top of mind. 8 Crosby Devitt Canadian Seed Trade Association executive director is available on the following canola varieties For more information visit useJumpStart.ca JumpStart InVigor L120 InVigor L130 InVigor L150 InVigor L159 InVigor 5440 InVigor L135C InVigor L241C InVigor L242 InVigor L261 InVigor L156H InVigor L157H InVigor L140P 45H29 RR 45H31 RR 45S54 RR 46H75 CL 45H76 CL 45S56 RR 45H33 RR 46M34 D3153 RR D3154S RR D3155C RR 74-44 BL 74-45 RR 75-65 RR 75-57 CR 1012 RR 1020 RR 2012 CL 1022 RR 2020 CL 2022 CL 6060 RR 6056 CR 6080 RR 6044 RR 6076 CR 5535 CL 5525 CL 6074 RR SY4135 SY4114 SY4157 SY4105 SY4166 PV 530 G PV 531 G PV 533 G VT 500 G PV 200 CL VR 9560 CL VR 9562 CL Xceed X121 CL CS2000 CS2100 CS2200 CL CANTERRA 1990 V12-1 V12-3 V22-1 Bragging rights. NOW for less than 5 per acre. on pre-treated seed only ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS. For pre-treated seed only. Based on the 2016 published SRP of 49.50 for JumpStart inoculant in a pre-treated bag of canola. 1 bag canola 10 acres. 163 independent large-plot trials in Canada between 1994 and 2013. Individual results may vary and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible. JumpStart and Monsanto BioAg and Design are trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC. Monsanto Canada Inc licensee. 2015 Monsanto Canada Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. 1403-1 09.15 JumpStart delivers enhanced phosphate availability for increased root growth and a larger leaf area. For a canola crop you can be proud of order your seed pre-treated with JumpStart inoculant. 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Main Control Panel Dealing with issues such as variety reg- istration regulatory modernization and funding innovation requires one to be able to step back and look at the whole picture. Over time Devitt has actively honed this skill through a number experiences. One such experience came when he was awarded the prestigious Nuffield Ag Scholarship in 2012 which allowed Devitt to take a six-week global ag dis- covery tour across four continents and eight countries. During this time he studied different research and develop- ment funding models. It was an amazing experience that provided a broad perspective of research and the global nature of agri- culture Devitt says. The Big Picture The seed industry is increasingly global in nature and Devitt says he looks forward to working closely with the Seed Association of the Americas and the International Seed Federation to advance the industrys priority issues. A few of these issues include asyn- chronous approvals of biotech traits low-level presence phytosanitary requirements the regulation of new plant breeding techniques and the preservation of genetic diversity. As one can see theres no shortage of issues that need attention. One recent development that put the international spotlight on Canada was the passing of Bill C-18 which brought the nations Plant Breeders Rights Act into compliance with the 1991 Convention of the Internationa Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants UPOV 91. As a result producers are now expected to have increased access to new varieties new trade opportunities have been created the regulatory red tape has been reduced. Devitt says that the adoption of UPOV 91 sets the stage to attract new invest- ment in Canadas seed industry. The government and seed industry have brought forward a landmark act that gives companies confidence in our regulations and ensures the rights of those in the industry to continue and expand their work Devitt says adding that while much progress has been made more is needed. But Devitt knows that neither he nor the association can move the needle alone. Collaboration Is Key The key to moving both national and international policies and positions for- ward has been a concerted effort on developing partnerships and looking for new opportunities to collaborate. Horner says this is another characteristic Devitt possesses that will help him suc- ceed as CSTAs executive director. His open attitude ability to clearly com- municate and experience in collaborat- ing with others will open new doors Horner says. At GFO Crosby was part of the team that developed the strategic plan to combine corn wheat and soy- bean research management and invest- ment and was a leader in forming the Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance. NOVEMBER 2015 11 CSTA strives to be a very collabora- tive association as weve shown in the past through our participation in the Partners in Innovation and industry ini- tiative on alfalfa coexistence planning. We believe that through effective col- laboration great strides can be made. Regardless of whether its at home in Canada or overseas Devitt believes companies large and small deserve open access to trade seed and conduct business. Canada is on the right track but its more important than ever for our members to stay engaged and participate at all levels of the association Devitt says. I am excited to work with our members who offer much knowledge and are experts in their fields to further the presence of CSTA domestically and internationally. Firsthand Experience Another positive attribute of Devitts is his farm background Horner adds. Devitt remains active in his familys farm and knows firsthand the highs and lows of production agriculture. Helping run the family farm gives Crosby unique insight and perspective on the seed industry and the job our members have in supplying high qual- ity seed to customers Horner says. Shannon Schindle At the Canadian Seed Trade Associations annual meeting in July Crosby Devitt networks with members and prepares to take the helm as executive director. PhotoJulieNowickiPhotographer. 1930 1950 1970 1990 2010 Trust the Experience. Call today to learn how Satake can help solve your seed sorting demands. 1 281 276-3600 Business-critical information for retailers selling seed and seed treatment products. SUPPORTED BY 12 BE IN THE KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE SHIFTING CROP LANDSCAPE AND INDUSTRY TRENDS IN TODAYS fast-paced environ- ment it can be hard to keep up with the trends let alone stay ahead of them. Theres the traditional rotation of crops the influx of more corn and soybean acres and a diverse specialty crops market each needing an array of different products and services. Even though major crops are corn soybeans and wheat its quite a diverse marketplace says Norm Sutherland who serves as Syngenta Canada district manager in Ontario. Depending on where you are situated we are seeing a decline in processing vegetable crops an increase in non-GMO soybeans and spring cereal and canola acres shifting to earlier-maturing soybeans. David Hansen CANTERRA SEEDS president and CEO says one of the latest trends is the evolution in soy- bean genetics toward early-maturing varieties. Its products such as this that provide growers new opportuni- ties he says. These earlier-maturing soybeans fit good into existing crop rotations and require minimal inputs and theres minimal risk. This makes it easy for farmers to adopt. However corn is being driven by international seed companies Hansen says. They have the research and genetics and are adding new resources where they see opportunities and right now that focus is on Western Canada he explains. As maturities are devel- oped that match our climate were seeing more and more corn here. Sutherland says that at Syngenta they are planning a minimum of one to two years out. When youre looking at inputs crop protection products are easier to adjust plans later on but seed is a bit more tricky because you have to decide on a production plan 18 months before farmers will plant it he says. Regardless of whether youre a local or regional retailer or if youre company has a national presence experts say the best way to stay ahead of trends is to stay connected with your customer. Connect with Your Customer It comes down to keeping your eyes and ears open says Brad Pinkerton SeCans Manitoba marketing represent- ative. This can be done through several means but a few include knowing what your sales representatives are hearing following farmers on Twitter meeting with farmers attending trade shows and getting updates from grower groups. A few grower groups to keep your eye on are the Canola Council of Canada Grain Growers of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. You have to be engaged with these types of organizations Hansen says. However Pinkerton cautions that sometimes whats being reported at the national level doesnt always match whats happening at the local level. This is where its important to have a strong network of people you can trust both locally and nationally. Sutherland adds that networking with your sales team and retail partners in all geographies to try and pick up local insights is especially important. He also pays attention to local media and makes use of Twitter. By following farmers representing different crops and geographies on Twitter I can quickly see whats hap- pening at the field level Sutherland shares. Most recently its been the changing pests with the increase in GETTING KEY MESSAGES INTO THE HANDS THAT NEED THEM. For a handout on this topic visit Germination.ca.. Send us your company name and logo and well develop a customized PDF for you to distribute. ENDORSED BY NOVEMBER 2015 13 soybean cyst nematode and white mould. For Sutherland Twitter helps him to better understand the spread and impact of some of these pests and how it impacts the farm. Once you know whats happening at the local level Sutherland recom- mends looking at what value your business can deliver to farmers in that specific field. SeCans Pinkerton says he spends time at trade shows listening to farm- ers. Specifically hes listening for what they are asking for what theyre disap- pointed in and how his company can fill that hole. We need to know farmers frustra- tions and whats working he says. Its all about one-on-one conversations. If youre not on the phone with other retailers and farmers then how else are you going to find out If youre waiting for a report its likely to late to be on the front end and it takes time to build up all that seed. Its also important to get new prod- ucts into the right hands at the local level Pinkerton says noting that this will give you local feedback local data and help to kick-start things. Then its up to you and your team to share that experience with others he adds. Network with Peers Networking is critical. You have to know what your peers in the business are doing Pinkerton says. Just ask them about their experience and most people are happy to share their insight. Ryan McCann director of seed for Crop Production Services Canada says he is always talking with his network to share ideas and see how they may have handled a situation or event. For example as corn and soy- bean acres continue to expand across Western Canada his team is working to take a lead role in understanding those crops and being able to make reliable recommendations to customers. They are doing this not only through their own research and testing but also networking. We have a large retail network in the U.S. with experience in corn and soybeans so Im always in discussion with both colleagues and suppliers to make sure we learn and understand how they went through a transition of this magnitude McCann says. Use Suppliers and Manufacturers From a seed company perspective understanding long-term trends is crit- To help identify changing trends Norm Sutherland Syngenta Canada district manager in Ontario stays connected at the local level. Brad Pinkerton SeCan marketing manager in Manitoba says to keep your eyes and ears open. SUPPORTED BY 14 ically important Hansen says. Plant breeding is on a 10-year time line. If we see trends or market demands chang- ing the genetics must evolve to meet the changing market demands. Because suppliers and manufactur- ers are often planning more than one to two years out Sutherland says you can gain a great deal of insight from having a positive relationship with them and taking the time to sit down with them to understand the impact on technologies in your trading area. Dont be afraid to ask how they see the world changing and what the impact may be Sutherland says. What do they see as opportunities Every company is constantly assessing how they can meet farmers changing needs. Pinkerton says its also important to have access to products before they hit your shelves. You need to have success with a product on your farm or in your plots before others will want to grow it he says. This will also help you know when something is not working and better protect your reputation. It allows you to make better recommendations on whose farm the product best fits and those it will not. McCann says at Crop Production Services they work closely with their internal development team with breed- ers and seed companies. When it comes to trialing products his team relies on a two-pronged approach. First products start in small plots and then as they come closer to market they transition to field scale trials McCann explains. I would rather have mistakes in my own plots than in a customers field he says. Approach New Opportunities After taking in all the information retailers must decide if action is needed. Its really an ongoing dialogue with your retail partners Sutherland says. Its always changing so its important to assess if it the changes are significant or not to take action. Hansen says there are lots of fun- damentals that go into the evolution of any new crop type. Farmers are so adaptable to oppor- tunities and move very quickly they make decisions on economics he says. In examining new opportunities Hansen advises retailers to Determine the rate of return for new investments. Know what the demand is. Understand how it impacts those up and down the value chain. Its really a chain of events that happens Hansen says. It starts with processors then moves to genetics and then is available for customers but it works back to front and front to back. For example Hansen says a lot of work is being done with biofu- els. In Canada companies such as Agrisoma are working on biojet fuel and CANTERRA is a seed partner. Thats us investing in a long-term project he says. There are no guar- antees that it will be successful but we decided to invest because of the long- term potential benefits to growers and the partnership with Agrisoma. CPS has multiple programs and varieties tied to end use programs and McCann says that he is in constant con- versation with end users to make sure his team is ahead of the curve. Even if you dont have a lot of resources dedicated to analyzing the market our consumptive customers have people forecasting and making these types of business decisions McCann shares. Another important factor in approaching or implementing a new strategy is communication. Sutherland says Communication is key regardless if you have a small staff or large staff. Everyone needs to be on the same page and working with the same goal in mind. The other important thing to rec- ognize is that you cant be all things to all people Hansen says. As a company its critical to stay focused and make sure what you do has value to your customers the grower he says. Its the three-leg- ged stool you have to have market demand the genetics or products and the farmer customers. However Hansen recognizes that its not an exact science adding that the partnership with Agrisoma is out of the ordinary. Staying up on the shifting crop landscape and industry trends is an evolution and were constantly working to understand and assess Sutherland says. Weve moved from an annual planning process to an ongoing planning process this is one of the bigger changes. Julie Deering TheFundamentals 1. Take in as much information as you can about whats happening at the local level. 2. Stay connected with your customers the farmer. 3. Network and exchange information with peers. 4. Keep end users needs in mind. 5. Determine if action is needed. New Crop Trends Nov. 24 at 1 p.m. Eastern PROUDLY SPONSORED BY Crop trends across Canada are shifting as farmers look to access new and premium markets. Designed for ag retailers this webinar explores the things you need to consider when approaching your customers about new opportunities and the importance of doing your homework. Our industry experts and seedsmen will highlight the key drivers of change and participants will learn The importance of local research The power of networking in self education Key steps to implement new strategies. POSITION YOURSELF TO BE IN THE KNOW AS NEW AND NICHE CROPS TAKE ROOT WEBINAR LIVE WEBINAR REGISTER TODAY AT ISSUESINK.COMGERMINATIONWEBINAR 16 THEtrade body for Britains agricultural supply industry known as Ag Industries Confederation AIC assessed the risks and opportunities to farming in the United Kingdom. The study found that single-issue pol- icy-making within the UK and Europe is reducing Britains ability to achieve its objective of producing more from less. Titled Food Supply in the Balance the reports shows an imbalance between opportunities and threats in British agri- culture that in economic terms could be as much as 5.9 billion. The AIC calls on policymakers to address this imbalance by working with industry to develop adequate modelling that ensures the cumulative effects of regulation are taken into account and are based on sound data. Conducted during the past two years the study investigated the organizations assertion that policy decisions were being made without an understanding of the cumulative effects. Independent business analysts from the Anderson Centre were commissioned to develop a way to investigate the cumulative effects of the opportunities and threats. According to AIC the research drew on experts from dozens of academic commercial and trade organizations to identify the major opportunities and threats to UK farm output over the next 15 years which ranged from animal disease and environmental controls to market volatility. The report iden- tified 10 key threats including six that arise from increased regulation. Looking at the wheat sector analysts identified opportuni- ties as new technology and advanced genetics and threats as reduced pesticide availability resistant weeds and limits to fertilizer efficiency. The study estimated that Britains wheat production might meet only half of its full potential between now and 2030 if cumulatively the UK agricultural industry bears all the consequences of the threats without benefitting from any of the opportunities offered by new technology. TheRisksofRegulation Given that the threats far outweigh the opportunities in this study we believe that our estimates are very conservative says David Caffall AIC chief executive. These indicative numbers support the initial concern of the AIC board. They make it clear that there is a need for the whole industry to take the challenges discovered in this report seriously. From Theory to Practice Yorkshire farmer Paul Temple says the study underscores a fundamental problem facing producers following the European Commissions ban on three types of neonicotinoid insecticides in 2013. When the European Union banned farmers from using an important pesticide a year and a half ago it confirmed the law of unintended consequences he says. As a result Im applying more pesticides with less efficiency or precision. Thats bad for the environment increases cost and puts food supply at risk. This is what happens when regulators make decisions based on the emotional need to do something rather than on what science tells us. Temple who chaired two workshops that contributed to the AIC report says Farming has and will rise to the chal- lenge of producing safe and affordable food however that success has created inexpensive food whose production is neither understood nor properly valued. Modifying methods of production by banning products without the benefit of science and through thoughtless regulation upsets a delicate balance of supply on a large scale. Thats the power behind the new AIC report the economic modelling behind the figures have a robustness that hasnt been put into practise before and properly show the serious consequence of policymakers getting it wrong. A reliable food supply and a healthy environment require the same things an economically sustainable farm business and the proper engagement of good science. ... Too many of our regulations are threats to both. Mark Halsall A new report by the Ag Industries Confederation in the United Kingdom maintains flawed policy-making and increased restrictions on farmers are among the factors keeping British agriculture from meeting its full potential. A high yielding strong strawed CWRS with broad disease resistance. Consistent performance in all environments. Hits the mark on all agronomic factors. Warburtons Approved Variety. A high grading high protein variety with leading root rot resistance. A step forward in yield. Higher HVK protein and test weight. allianceseed.com 1-877-270-2890 18 Ontarios Neonic Saga Continues AS farmers begin to place their seed orders for the 2016 seeding season the debate around pollinator health as it relates to the use of seed treatments specifically neonicotinoid treated seed continues both at the provin- cial and national levels. Ontario takes the spotlight when comes to this issue because of its newly approved regu- lations regarding the use of seed-applied neonicotinoids. As part of its broader strategy to protect pollinators the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change OMECC made changes to its regulations under the Ontario Pesticides Act to meet its goal of reaching an 80 per cent reduction in the number of acres planted with neonicotinoid- treated corn and soybean seed by 2017. In doing so the government of Ontario outlined that bee health has been declining a cause for global concern due to loss of habitat and poor nutrition pesticide exposure disease pests and genetics and climate change and weather. These regulations represent the least comprehensive plan on pollinator health available disregarding the approach of the White House the Senate and the Ontario Pollinator Health Blueprint all holistic approaches said Mark Brock Grain Farmers of Ontario chair when the regulations came into law. Known as Ontario Regulation 6309 the amended regulation establishes a system for regulating neonicotinoid-treated corn What you as a seed treatment vendor need to know about the Ministry of Environment and Climate Changes Regulation 6309 which establishes a system for regulating a new class of pesticides. POLYMERS COLORANTS Seed coating polymers that provide a smooth even coverage keeping your profits with the seed not in the bag. Many color offerings as well asUNICOAT NUDEwhich gives the coated product a natural seed appearance. Custom blending products for specialized customer requirements. Systems Equipment Over 30 years of experience with equipment design manufacturing and installation on every continent on the globe. We have done every- thing from the smallest laboratory system to complete large-scale seed coating plants. Dave Waldo c 503-507-3499 . p 503-838-6568 e daveuniversalcoating.net www.ucoatsystems.com 3150 CCS Rotary Coating System UNICOAT Covering Your Seed Coating Needs. Advanced Bagging Systems Dealer for Super absorbent polymer allows the seedling to survive for longer periods between water application events. This coating provides a smooth even coat significantly reducingdust off. 20 and soybean seeds. First it establishes a new class of pesti- cides Class 12 under Ontarios Pesticides Act and Ontario Regulation 6309 for corn and soybean seed when treated with imidacloprid thiamethoxam and clothianidin. Also it establishes methods for farmers to assess if pest problems require the use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds. 6309 sets out requirements for the sale and use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds and tracks the sale of neonicotinoid-treated seeds. Vendor Requirements As part of the change treated seed vendors who sell Class 12 pesticides must be licensed. The requirements vendors must meet include Obtain one license for each location. Name all treated-seed sales representatives. Submit a list of Class 12 pesticides that you intend to sell over a 12-month period starting Aug. 31. This list is to be submitted by July 31 each year starting in 2015 however changes to the list can be made after this date. Offer untreated or fungicide only corn and soybean seed for sale. Additionally when advertising treated seed for sale the vendor must make it known whether its Class 12 and whether it contains imidacloprid thiamethoxam and clothia- nidin. The vendor must also advertise that corn and soybean seeds not treated with neonicotinoids are available for sale. During the point of sale vendors of Class 12 pesticides must collect certain information which varies from 2015 to 2016 and 2017. This year vendors must collect from the farmer a seed amount declaration form or a pest assessment report showing inspection of the soil. This assessment can be completed by the farmer or any other person according to OMECC. In 2016 vendors must collect the Integrated Pest Management IPM Certification Number and have a written declaration that IPM principles have been considered as well as a pest assessment report. The assessment report can be based off a soil inspection or crop inspection. Soil inspections can be completed by the farmer or any other person if completed before Aug. 31 2016 or by an IPM certified person if com- pleted on or after Aug. 31 whereas the crop inspection must be completed by a professional pest advisor PPA only. Then in 2017 vendors are required to collect the IPM Certification Number a written declaration that IPM princi- ples have been considered and the Pest Assessment Report. This report can be from a soil inspection or crop inspection. At this point the soil inspection must be completed by an IPM certified person or PPA based on geographical region and the crop inspection must be completed by a PPA. After the point of sale starting in 2016 Class 12 pesticide vendors must submit to Ontarios Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs copies of each pest assessment report given to them during the previous 12-month period. These are due Oct. 31 of each year. For example the 2016 submis- sion will include reports from Aug. 31 2015 to Aug. 30 2016. Additionally vendors must complete a Sales and Transfer Report form and submit that to OMECC. This too is due Oct. 31 of each year starting in 2016. This form includes aggregating results of Class 12 pesticides and non-neonico- tinoid treated corn and soybean seed sales. It also includes information from treated seed sales representatives direct- to-farm vendors and the direct purchaser. Treated seed vendors arent the only ones who have to meet these requirements. Treated seed sales representatives direct-to-farm vendors and custom seed treaters also have responsibilities under 6309 however they do not have to be licensed. New Data While government continues to push increased regulation farmers and the seed industry dont believe regulation is the best way to handle the pollinator health issue. They have introduced best management practises and put together their own blueprint for pollinator health leading up to the announcement. And according to Scott Kirby director of the Environmental Assessment Directorate of Health Canadas Pest Management Regulatory Agency the number and severity of incidents reported in association with neonicotinoid pesticide use during the 2014 seeding season was 70 per cent lower than the previous year. A full assessment of this years incidents is still underway. Incidents relating to unproductive hives and poor perform- ing queens later in the season have no clear link to neoni- cotinoid exposure Kirby explains noting that the science related to sub-lethal exposure to pesticides is not conclusive. GFOs Brock says Our organization firmly believes these regulations are not workable and we are highly concerned about how they will negatively impact the future of grain farming in this province. The amount of active ingredient introduced to the environment with seed treatments is only 10 per cent of that contributed by in-furrow treatments and its only one per cent of foliar sprays. Dave Baute NOVEMBER 2015 21 Authorized local distributor Can-Seed Equipment Ltd. T 800.644.8397 salescanseedequip.com www.canseedequip.com Buhler Inc. T 209.983.8400 sortexsalesbuhlergroup.com www.buhlergroup.com Superior detection for maximum yield. The SORTEX A MultiVision ensures ultimate quality and yield for agricultural seeds including field crops vegetable seeds lawn seeds and many others. Utilizing its advanced MultiVision inspection system and broadband LED illumination the sorter is exceptional in the removal of contaminants and foreign materials such as discolored broken split spot defects and mud-stained product bird excreta glass stones and other seeds. The advanced inspection system can even detect the most challenging applications such as barley ergot and fusarium from wheat. Clean Seed. Productive Seed. BSOC 142895 Germination Advt_May 2014.indd 1 6192015 93558 PM The Need In an opinion letter Dave Baute a farmer president of Maizex Seeds and the 2014 Canadian Seed Trade Association president writes The amount of active ingredient intro- duced to the environment with seed treatments is only 10 per cent of that contributed by in-furrow treatments and its only one per cent of foliar sprays. Baute goes on to highlight that seed suppliers and farmers were the first to take decisive action when dust from planting seed was shown to have a negative impact on bees. In only a few months we worked with regulatory bodies and seed treatment companies to develop best management practices designed to protect bee hives from planting dust he wrote. We participated in countless farmer meetings podcasts and retailer training sessions to ensure that the best management practises were implemented ... We updated and improved labelling on treated seed pack- aging material and put substantial financial and human resources into research projects to test equipment modifica- tions to reduce dust. Seed suppliers offered farmers a greater choice of non-insecticide treated seed and virtually all of the insecticide treated corn and soybeans in Ontario and Quebec were planted using a new lubricant that was shown to very substantially reduce dust while planting. Baute explained that the results said it all despite a very long harsh winter. Government Presses Forward Despite hearing from farmers and the seed industry Ontarios government moved forward with its plans. As such GFO commenced legal proceedings against OMECC the week of June 22 asking the Superior Court to delay the implementation of the regulations until May 1 2016 or such time as the requirements of the regulation can reasonably be met. If the court provided a stay against the regulations farmers would be able to plant next year under the same rules followed in 2015. On Sept. 28 Judge Sunhail Akhtar heard from representa- tives of GFO and the government of Ontario regarding the request for a stay of the seed treatment regulations brought into law July 1. After hearing testimony for four hours the Akhtar reserved judgment on the case. At the end of October the judge ruled in favour of the gov- ernment writing Any claims of loss by farmers is purely speculative at this stage. By contrast there is a public interest aspect to ensuring control of use of neonicotinoid-treated seeds to ensure that pollinators are not at risk. Julie Deering WHEREON THE WEB To view the forms that must be completed visit Ontario.ca. 22 CANADASSEED INDUSTRYIN2015 AS OF 2012 THERE WERE 362 private sector plant breeders and technicians. 367sales representatives. 179 production staff. 354 individuals on the processing side. Canadas seed producers grow more than 50 CROP KINDS In 2012 101.3 million was invested into plant breeding research and variety development an increase of more than 78from 2007. 5.61 billion is the amount that Canadas seed industry contributes to the economy. 500 billion worth of seed were exported in 2013-14. 57420 jobs are created by Canadas seed industry 89 of private sector investment went toward canola corn and soybeans. 8 of private sector investment was for cereal improvement. That number is expected to increase to 13 per cent by 2017. With a Go Green mentality thats pro- environment XiteBios Manas Banerjee looks to drive innovation with the companys microbial technology for use on a variety of crops in Canada the United States Europe and South America. Every product development avenue be it inoculants biofertilizers additives or plant growth regulators that we research must be innovative or we will not pursue it says Banerjee who serves as president and chief executive officer. Were looking to create innovative efficacious product lines that benefit farmers bottom line. Despite only being in business for six years XiteBio has pushed the boundaries and launched two innovative product lines inoculants using the Advanced Growth Promoting Technology AGPT and early post-emergent biologicals using Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria PGPR. Designed for use on soybeans peas lentils and faba beans Banerjee explains that the AGPT powered premium liquid inoculants invigorate native soil microflora and promote synergies between the introduced and native microbes. This unique technology is a revolutionary change in thinking for the industry and farmers Banerjee says explaining that different soil types support different microflora many of which benefit crops. For instance did you know that one gram of soil could have more than 1 billion bacteria more than 100 million actinomycetes 100000 to 1 million fungi and up to a million algae That doesnt even include the protozoa nematodes earthworms and other invertebrates. These native microbes living in the soil are stimulated by AGPT and all of these organisms then work together benefitting the crop. DRIVING INNOVATION CREATING UNIQUENESS DIFFERENTIATION Its our ability to create synergies between rhizobia inoculants and the invigorated microflora thats revolutionary. SoyRhizo and PeasRhizo are two of the products that have been developed as a result of creating uniqueness and differentiation in the traditional inoculant market. These new products dont only stimulate the microflora in the soil but the rhizobium in the inoculant also have a longer life both on the seed and on the shelf. Once applied to the seed the SoyRhizo has a life of up to 64 days with seed treatments and on the shelf a two- year life. The PeasRhizo has a one-year life on the shelf and up to 48 hours on the seed. Banerjee adds that with these new innovative formulations farmers can now enjoy inoculants that are user-friendly require little volume of liquid and dry quickly with on-seed application which reduces bridging in the planter. Think of it as an all-in-one formulation he says. So what does all this mean besides being different and easier to handle Research trials show improved soil health as well as healthier more vigorous crops and higher- yielding crops. The average yield increase for SoyRhizo has been five bushels per acre or about 10 per cent in our trials from 2011 to 2013. But Banerjee says his team has witnessed yield increases as high as 26 bushels per acre. And the average yield increase for PeasRhizo is 4.1 bushels per acre or about 19 per cent. A NEW FAMILY OF BIOLOCIALS XiteBios other big innovation is the patented PGPR platform which produces biologicals. Banerjee explains that these PGPR biologicals play a major role in the transformation of nutrients converting them to more plant available forms. They also produce plant hormones stimulating earlier initiation of roots and boosting root and shoot development. Furthermore organic acids and siderophores are also produced to stimulate uptake of phosphorous and iron. They can fix atmospheric nitrogen for many crops not just legumes. These biologicals are designed to be applied early post emergence. Based on its PGPR platform the company has developed a Yield family of products. Its innovations such as PGPR and AGPT that allow farmers to increase yields and improve soil health while using fewer chemicals. These goals are at the heart of XiteBios mission and its clear that company is delivering the technologies and products that will move agriculture forward. TOLL-FREE 1-855-XITEBIO 1-855-948-3246 XITEBIO.CA When the biggest players in the agri-inputs industry invest billions of dollars into initiating and diversifying their biological innovations you know there will be new technologies emerging in an expanding marketplace. Dr. Manas Banerjee President and CEO of XiteBio Technologies Inc. 24 WHENit comes to the desired qualities for the Canadian Seed Growers Association executive director Glyn Chancey has the right stuff. From an early age Chancey ate slept and breathed farming. There was an Ag-Canada research station in Newfoundland and my father was the director Chancey says. Given the culture whenever there was a visitor from Ottawa they would always end up at home at the kitchen table. Our house was steeped in agricultural policy discussions and research from the time I could speak. However it wasnt until he picked up an economics book while studying biology at Mount Allison University that Chancey discovered his true vocation. The next thing you know Im in an economics course he says. My whole world vision shifted and I discovered this new calling in economics while at the same time coming to terms with the fact that I was interested in what my father was interested in. After earning his bachelors degree from the University of Guelph Chancey accepted a position as vice-president and manager for Les Entreprises Payagistes du Quebec. Five years later he returned to academia to pursue a mas- ters degree in industrial organization and international eco- nomics at McGill University. While researching his thesis Chancey was offered a job with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada AAFC the beginning of a 30-year career in federal public service. During that time Chancey held executive positions with a number of government departments and agencies including the Market and Industry Services branch of AAFC the Plant Health and Biosecurity Directorate of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFIA the Red Tape Reduction Commission Secretariat at the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council Secretariat at the Privy Council Office. A Strong Start Early in his career Chancey provided technical support and outreach on many trade negotiations and agreements as well as implementation including the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization Agreement. Work in that space and with his CFIA colleagues provided Chancey with an understanding of the technical barriers to trade and the trade policy environment. However it was his role as CFIAs director of the Plant Production Division that fostered his strong relationship with Canadas seed industry. To that role Chancey brought a slightly different philosophy which fit CFIAs desire to make the seed program more industry driven than others. Coming from an economics business and science back- ground I was of the view that markets are theoretically supposed to be self-regulating and that regulation is really something you reserve for market failure or for preventing market failure Chancey says. When he arrived on the seed sector scene in 2002 the variety registration review had been in progress for about six years and had become a contentious issue. Chancey was immediately asked for his perspective. To this task he applied an outside-in approach to government by knocking on doors of industry and other organizations from coast to coast to understand the different viewpoints. THE RIGHT STUFF CSGAs new executive director understands agricultural policy inside out while taking an outside-in approach to government. NipsIt SUITE INTRODUCING COMPLETE SEED AND SEEDLING PROTECTION FOR CEREALS Both a fungicide and insecticide NipsIt SUITE is an all-in-one seed treatment. It provides effective protection against the most common pests and diseases. Its a superior easy-to-apply formulation that stays on the seed to give it the best possible start. INTEGO Solo THE ONLY REGISTERED SOLUTION FOR APHANOMYCES IN PULSE CROPS NEW INTEGO Solo is your best defense against Aphanomyces a root rot thats devastating peas in Western Canada. Also registered for pythium control and suppression of seed rot in lentils chickpeas dry beans and soybeans it ensures a bright future for your pulse crops. Ask your local retailer for more information. 1.800.868.5444 Nufarm.ca Always read and follow label directions. NIpsIt is a trademark of Nufarm Agriculture Inc. INTEGO is a trademark of Valent U.S.A. Corporation. 45832-1115 NEW ARRIVALS IN SEED TREATMENT 26 I concluded we were on the wrong track and we needed to reset the framework he says. As a group seed sector stakeholders agreed an industry-led review was timely and would help break the acrimonious dynamic that had been generated out of a focus that was uniquely on variety reg- istration says Chancey. People felt this way of doing things with dialogue analy- sis and iterative discussion to identify priorities was a good way to work and ultimately gave rise to the industry led Seed Sector Review and subsequently the National Forum on Seed he says. Outside-In Chancey has applied this outside-in approach to govern- ment throughout his career including the task of reviewing the regulatory system as executive director of the Red Tape Reduction Commission Secretariat from 2010 to 2012. To Chancey its experiences such as this which make the opportunity with CSGA a good fit. It seemed like a natural transition. I was coming up on 30 years of public service and Ive still got another decade or so in me and I wanted something that would be challenging and keep me in a form of public service he says. While there are many similarities between his previous roles and responsibilities and this new position Chancey is excited by the unique challenges it will present. Im ultimately responsible for the functioning of a fairly com- plex organization he says. Its not a straight-up industry association its got a regulatory responsibility and it has a business bottom line in terms of efficient and effective delivery of the seed certification system. However hell bring the same philosophy and processes to facilitate bridge-building and thoughtful consensus-building among parties that have been successful in other roles. Im biased toward engagement and building partnerships and focused on collective efforts to achieve shared out- comes thats just who I am he says. We happen to be at a point in time when theres going to be a demand for those types of skills and that type of leadership. Chancey understands the regulatory system the govern- ment and how government makes its decisions and the direction its heading. Its not static. There are some fairly major directions that have been set in terms of regula- tion he says. With those macro trends in the background having someone who understands them and can include those considerations and advice as well as knowledge of the seed regulatory system at a time when its going to be debated and discussed is fairly critical. When those kinds of discussions begin its inevitable that there is at minimum some recommendations for change. All organizations and all levels of the seed industry could ultimately be impacted by those decisions. For the present as the CSGA board sets policy Chancey will be responsible for implementing it as well as ensuring board members are properly informed about the issues. Projecting a year into the future hed like to list among his accomplishments that the board was happy with the pro- cess theyd experienced and that they were well informed and comfortable with the risks challenges opportunities and threats they faced. And that we feel we know where we stand where we need to compromise where we need to change and where we need to hold fast he says. Tasked with ambitious agendas that have far-reaching impli- cations Chancey could work 247. However his wife of 30 years and 15-year-old son ground him in the present. If you look at my calendar on any week night during hockey season at least three or four blocks are protected for my sons game or practise. He says his son is a bit like himself having grown up surrounded by farmers and working with friends in the farming community. Its no surprise then that Chancey says at a fundamental level hes excited to be returning to agriculture and to be taking on the tasks and challenges to come. From kitchen table discussions to his new CSGA role Chancey says its like coming full circle. Kari Belanger Glyn Chancy the Canadian Seed Growers Associations new executive director is excited to return to his agricultural roots and put his skills to use. PhotoCSGA. Buckhorn offers an unmatched selection of reusable packaging solutions designed to protect your products and increase your profitability. Buckhorns CenterFlow seed box is the safest most efficient way to transport and dispense all kinds of seed. It stacks four high handles loads up to 2500 lbs. and dispenses seed quickly - in as fast as 30 seconds. Stop by ASTA Seed Expo Booth 313 to learn more about CenterFlow or visit buckhorncanada.com for more information. US 1.800.543.4454 Canada 1.800.461.7579 www.buckhorncanada.com2015 BuckhornMyers Industries Inc. 040512 BULK BOXES HAND-HELD CONTAINERS IBCs PALLETS SPECIALTY BOXES 28 A story is making the rounds in the media involving the first pat- ented strain of genetically modified marijuana a new product developed by Monsanto. The story complete with images of the GM weed and a photo of James Adamson president of a firm called Medical Marijuana Technologies exploded on social media the moment it was published by news website World News Daily Report. Through aggrega- tors that pull content from around the Internet it made its way onto other news sites. The problem was the story wasnt true. World News Daily Report is a satirical website that reports fake news fake as in made-up false untrue imaginary. The hoax was quickly revealed but every so often the story still pops up on social media shared by someone who believes that Monsanto has devel- oped the worlds first strain of GM pot. Its a problem thats only getting worse as the Internet and social media increasingly dominate our lives says Trish Jordan public and industry affairs director for Monsanto Canada. The growth of social media personal blogs and the Internet has provided a forum for people to share their opin- Misinformation Requires a Collective Approach to Science Communications As science and those who teach it come under attack by special interest groups experts say its more important than ever to have a concerted collective approach to communication. ions and that growth has definitely created more false information or false news reports she says. Jordan says satirical stories involving Monsanto written by websites like World News Daily Report and The Onion are rare. The latter news web- site published a story in 2014 with the headline Monsanto Develops Hardier Strain of Corn that Yields 4 Times Normal Litigation. Anyone with a sense of humour can usually figure out that its a joke she says. But with legitimate news stories not so much. Sometimes with Monsanto there is a tiny grain of fact in a story she says. But then it gets taken out of context or changed to the point where the online opinion or story is misleading. Thanks to news aggregators and Rich Site Summaries more commonly known as RSS feeds its easier than ever for misinformation to spread and more difficult to correct the information. Lewis M. 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We also have manual and fully automaac wweighing systems including bagging and robooc palleezing. 30 Source Checking With Facebook and Twitter stories are shared with hundreds thousands and even millions of people almost instantly with the click of a button. Jordan notes that such rapid sharing of informa- tion opens the door for inaccurate and downright false information to be easily shared with others intentional or not. Sometimes people will just scan head- lines and assume something is true without doing any critical checking of the source she says. Failure to check sources is nothing new its an age-old problem. Jordan says that even with traditional print media news outlets have always been under intense pressure to fill pages and get news out quickly. And when that happens even they can miss a fact Jordan explains.Thats to be expected. But the big challenge is trying to correct misinformation. In the old days of print you wrote a letter to the editor or picked up the phone and a correction would be posted. Thats not the case anymore. With the Internet and all online sources it becomes next to impossible to cor- rect as stories are shared and posted on multiple sites or blogs or on social media she says. The Rise of Self-Interests Owen Roberts teaches agricultural communications at the University of Guelph. Hes also an active journalist most notably as the agri-food columnist for the Guelph Mercury. He can attest to how quickly false information is spread through social media and how hard it can be to correct and contain. In the past people would go to a jour- nalist and ask is this true he says. Now everyone on social media has a voice which isnt a bad thing. Thats democracy and Im in favour of that. What Im not in favour of is people using it for their own self-interests but thats what is happening. Social media is rife with not only misinformation but disinformation content that is intentionally false or misleading usually generated by people or groups with a specific agenda Roberts points out. American TV personality Dr. Mehmet Oz who has come under fire for his promotion of pseudoscience including calling Dow AgroSciences Enlist Duo a toxic pesticide that endangers our children has 3.8 million Twitter followers. Popular author and activist Vani Hari known as The Food Babe has more than 90000 followers. In August she and a variety of other members of the anti-GMO crowd shared a story on Twitter written by Nature regarding an educational out- reach program at the University of Florida. The ensuing response from activists serves as an example of how quickly misinformation can spread. travel costs buy a tray of subs for the students and pay fees for facility rental. The Talking Biotech outreach program enjoys financial support from several corporate entities Folta notes. He receives financial help from numerous sources but such funding does not go toward his research or influence the content of his presentations. One thing dictates what he teaches science. He wont even accept an honorarium for speaking and simply asks a dona- tion be made to the Talking Biotech program. Still once the Nature story went online the genie couldnt be put back in the bottle. Despite noting that Folta did not personally receive any money from Monsanto and that none of it went to Those days are over where people would say We wont dignify that with a response. That doesnt work anymore. You cant pretend it will go away because it wont. Owen Roberts fund his research the story quickly went viral among the anti-GMO com- munity which has gone on to attack Folta and the Talking Biotech program. A barrage of personal attacks have come Foltas way through Twitter with radical activists and associated organi- zations branding him a liar and evil. Folta has responded by tweeting exten- sively and writing on his blog about the Talking Biotech program and encouraging anyone interested in the topic to contact him. Hes also taken the time to expose the tactics used by radical activists on social media to advance their agenda not only has he experienced extensive defamation and harassment on Twitter hes also seen attempts by his critics to access his personal Gmail and Yahoo accounts. For the past 12 years science commu- nication has run parallel to my research and teaching. Every year I provide a talk to our graduate students about how On the Attack The program Talking Biotech is run by Horticultural Sciences Department chair Kevin Folta. As part of the edu- cational outreach effort Folta travels around the United States speaking with students and others about the science of biotechnology. As reported by Nature in its story titled GM-crop opponents expand probe into ties between scientists and industry the program has received financial support from Monsanto which has helped cover the costs. Ive done the workshop at several universities during the past year and there is a lot of interest from industry in funding the program Folta wrote on his blog. After all helping people understand science is a good thing. Unfortunately it is expensive. No funds go to me or any person- nel they go 100 per cent to defray NOVEMBER 2015 31 At discovermonsanto.com visitors are encouraged to ask questions about the company. Questions range from the safety of food to GMOs and from protecting pollinators to sustainability. Representatives from Monsanto then answer the questions online. to not just do science but then how to share science he writes. The Need to Respond Roberts says its crucial to respond to mis- information even though it might be frustrating to have to do so. Those days are over where people would say We wont dignify that with a response. That doesnt work anymore. I dont know if it ever worked Roberts says. A good response is more important than ever. You cant pretend it will go away because it wont. According to Jordan Monsanto does not respond directly to those sources it knows to be deliberately spreading misinformation. Rather we have our own communi- cation vehicles and collaborate with others to help dispel some of the common myths she says.We rely on our Facebook page and our Twitter accounts and at times we create our own content in direct response. The Monsanto Blog www.monsanto- blog.com is often the place where the company shares viewpoints or answers questions directly on its conversations page. Monsanto also has a viewpoints section on its website called Just Plain False where it corrects misinforma- tion and directs people to third-party sources who can set the record straight. We understand that people have ques- tions about Monsanto and what we do Jordan says.We also understand that not all consumers will believe the information we share. So we try and collaborate with others such as dieti- cians academics NGOs farmers and more to have their viewpoints shared as well. Need to Educate While educating the public is a neces- sity Roberts notes that mentoring the next generation of journalists and com- munications professionals is also key. Thank goodness we still have journal- ists. People who take time to check the facts are important he says. That said communications professionals have an important role to play in journalism providing journalists with different per- spectives to address or counter informa- tion thats out there. Its still kind of a new approach for graduates to consider becoming communications profession- als for companies rather than going into journalism. Still he says journalists are 100 per cent necessary to ensure agriculture com- municates its message effectively and can tackle the misinformation thats on the Internet. We need balanced content out there Roberts says adding that it wont come from special interest groups. Jordan agrees that its crucial to work with not only the public but those who work within the industry as well. We have spent a lot of time over the past year reaching out to farm groups retail customers and other ag indus- try groups encouraging them to share their story and engage more directly with consumers Jordan says.We have also been training our employees and encouraging them to share their stories. To change perceptions I truly believe a collective approach to sharing agri- cultures story and expanding the con- versation is required. Marc Zienkiewicz THE REAL STORY OF AG Contrast that statistic with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadas recent survey that found the public perceives the ag industry as unsustainable and environmentally harmful and its clear that we have a serious gap to address. Sustainability and the environment are not only top-of-mind issues for those that work in the industry they are also top-of-mind topics for the consumer says Dr. Cami Ryan Social Sciences Lead at Monsanto Canada. The problem is that approximately two per cent of the population in North America is responsible for farming and food production which leads to a broader society that is largely disengaged from and often misinformed about food production processes. Dr. Ryan believes that its more important than ever for those of us in the industry to reach out to the consumer to talk about what were doing to produce food in a responsible and sustainable way. If we dont engage and actively listen then the risk is that farmers wont have the freedom to choose the tools they want and need to grow food for you me and the rest of the world says Dr. Ryan. Yes we need to be equipped with facts and evidence but more importantly we need to reach out to others and share our passion for food and agriculture through personal anecdotes and stories. This is an extremely powerful proven approach and will go a long way to bridge the current divide. The good news is that the idea of sharing the sustainable side of agriculture is starting to catch on. Alberta producer and social media agvocate Jay Schultz WheatlanderJay isnt afraid to wade into discussions on sustainable ag and he encourages others to do the same. Agriculture is a dynamic industry and is continuously evolving. What works in one region or sector doesnt always work in another. But one thing that we have in common is that we all want to be good stewards of the land says Schultz whose wife operates the popular blog Nurse Loves Farmer. We need to communicate that passion for what we do coupled with a continued openness to learn and adapt. If we do this well ensure increased market access and overall long-term health of the environment and our businesses. According to a recent study conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business 95 per cent of Canadian producers are taking action to protect the environment. Speak up about sustainable agriculture Start talking about sustainability today. For more information and tools check out our resources at AgMoreThanEver.ca. THE REAL STORY OF AG THE REAL STORY OF AG Modern agriculture is all about sustainability The late U.S. congressman Ike Skelton captured the link between agriculture and the environment best when he said Because of their connection to the land farmers do more to protect and preserve our environment than almost anyone else. They are some of the best environmentalists around. While Ikes quote has plenty of facts to back it up most Canadians would never think about ag and environmental sustainability working together. In fact many think the opposite. Its our job to change that perception and show how Canadian agriculture is actually a world leader in on-farm environmental practices. Here are some numbers to use in your discussions THE REAL STORY OF AG Canadian agriculture plays a big role in creating a more sustainable world for all of us. Lets spread the word and change peoples perception about ag. Get more facts like the ones above at AgMoreThanEver.ca. As we mark the United Nations International Year of the Soils in 2015 its a great moment to celebrate the role Canadian ag has played in decreasing soil erosion. According to Statistics Canada more than half of all farmland in Canada is now cultivated using minimum tillage practices drastically improving the quality of our soil in various areas of production. Less tillage and more direct seeding on Canadian farmland has also meant weve been burning far less fuel. Add that to the rapid adoption of new technology like GPS and unmanned aerial vehicles and were drastically reducing our fuel emissions. Not only is this helping the environment but its also making our industry more efficient. Our sustainable actions arent just restricted to crops. Grazing livestock ensures were using the available land in the most efficient and sustainable way possible. While crops cant grow everywhere our animals can feed and thrive in areas where not much else can. CreatedApril2015 Minimum tillage saves more than 170 MILLION LITRES OF FUEL from being burned in Canada annually. Source The Real Dirt of Farming 2014 CreatedApril2015 Source The Real Dirt of Farming 2014 CreatedAugust2014 they thrive where Grazing livestock dont waste land crops cantSource Ontario Farm Animal Council Get involved today Ag More Than Ever is an industry cause to create positive perceptions and dialogue about the Canadian agricultural industry. Its a big job thats built on partnerships and the collective energy of everyone in the industry. Getting involved is easier than you think and were here to help. Visit AgMoreThanEver.ca for agvocate resources and tips and join a community of like-minded people looking to tell the real positive story of Canadian ag. Knowing the facts is the best way to prepare for any ag conversation that comes your way. These resources can help The Real Dirt on Farming Both the website realdirtonfarming.ca and the publication available for download on the site offer excellent examples of producers as active environmentalists. Specically Chapter 6 in the booklet provides the facts background and real-life stories of how agriculture is a shining example of land and animal stewardship. Nourish PotashCorps website on healthy soils To help educate the public as part of the International Year of Soils PotashCorp has created a section on their website focused on healthy soils. Visit potashcorp.comnourish and discover some amazing stories of producers and businesses around the world protecting their land and their soil. With the sustainable practices being implemented today in industries like agriculture the U.N. is optimistic that the Earths soils will provide the food we need to feed another two billion people by 2050. Helpful resources on sustainability Safe food animal welfare sustainability people care deeply about these things when they make food choices. And all of us in the agriculture industry care deeply about them too. But sometimes the general public doesnt see it that way. Why Because for the most part were not telling them our story and too often someone outside the industry is. The journey from farm to table is a conversation we need to make sure were a part of. So lets talk about it together. Visit AgMoreThanEver.ca to discover how you can help improve and create realistic perceptions of Canadian ag. We all share the same table. Pull up a chair. We take pride in knowing we would feel safe consuming any of the crops we sell. If we would not use it ourselves it does not go to market. Katelyn Duncan Saskatchewan The welfare of my animals is one of my highest priorities. If I dont give my cows a high quality of life they wont grow up to be great cows. Andrew Campbell Ontario The natural environment is critical to farmers we depend on soil and water for the production of food. But we also live on our farms so its essential that we act as responsible stewards. Doug Chorney Manitoba 38 Plant breeders continuously work to find to techniques and strategies for crop improvement. InnovationinBreeding SINCEthe earliest days humans have strived to meet the needs of a continuously growing population and that challenge continues as the global pop- ulation is expected to grow from todays more than seven billion people to an estimated nine billion people by 2050. This puts pressure on plant breeders and the rest of agri- culture to find new ways and new varieties that will help to increase yields increase nutritional content and increase shelf-life. Through plant breeding annual yield gains of one to two per cent have been achieved in a number of crops allow- ing global food production to increase by 25 per cent between 1990 and 2000 according to the International Seed Federations ISF Smart from the Start video. Today there are 124 million people across 118 countries who are deficient in vitamin A and need crops with higher carotenoids. Floods affect an additional 106 million people every year and 2.2 billion acres are impacted by soil salinity. According to the Agricultural Outlook 2012-2021 by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations actual yields for the main food crops are well below potential yields in many regions with yield gaps in many developing countries in excess of 50 per cent. Innovation Begins with a Need In working to meet these challenges scientists and plant breeders have developed precise tools to safely increase specificity and efficiency of breeding decrease develop- ment time and cost and increase genetic diversity for breed- ing programs. These new breeding tools are often referred to as New Breeding Techniques. One example of a new breeding technique is cisgenics and intragenics. Henk Schouten a plant breeder at Wageningen University in the Netherlands explains that cisgenesis is the genetic modification of a recipient plant with a natural gene from a crossable or sexually compatible plant. Such a gene includes its introns and is flanked by its native promoter and terminator in the normal sense orientation. Cisgenic plants can harbour one or more cisgenes but they do not contain any transgenes. Another technique that is similar is intragenics. Caius Rommens of J.R. Simplot Co. explains that intragenesis is a novel approach to genetic engineering that improves varieties by eliminating undesirable features and activating dormant traits. It transforms plants with native expression cassettes to fine-turn the activity andor tissue specificity of target genes. Unlike cisgenes intragenes are hybrid genes meaning they can have genetic elements from different genes and loci. By using different promoter or terminator regions expression of genes can be modified which gives the possibility for new gene recombinations by in vitro rearrangements of functional genetic elements. According to the experts neither cisgenesis nor intragenesis involve recombination between non-sexually compatible organisms and no foreign sequences are present in the final organism. These are just two examples of these new breeding tech- niques which really arent all that new theyve been around for more than a decade. Other breeding methods that are being used include site-directed nucleases null segragants and classic gene delivery systems. New more cost-effective breeding techniques fall into a gray area globally when it comes to regulation. The international seed industry unites to help educate policymakers on plant breedings newest innovations. NOVEMBER 2015 39 PACKING PALLETIZING COMPANY PPC PROVIDING CUSTOM BAGGING TAGGING AND PALLETIZING SOLUTIONS BULK BAG FILLER PALLETIZER T 204 331-3000 www.ppcinc.ca E tpppcinc.ca TAG PLACER These new breeding techniques are efficient flexible and low cost in comparison to more traditional techniques. This means plant breeders at universities and public organiza- tions as well as those in corporate companies have access this technology. As of now only Canada and Australia have a product-based rather than a process-based regulatory system. This means the legal parameters in bringing products derived from these breeding methods to market is much less stringent compared to transgenic plants. Education Needed But thats not the case in Europe the United States and many other countries around the world. The question poli- cymakers face with pressure from constituents is whether these techniques should fall under GMO legislation. The use of these new breeding techniques has been stalled at the research and development stage because of uncer- tainty regarding public policy and unclear regulatory status of the new varieties according to a position paper issued by the American Seed Trade Association. Products developed through such breeding techniques might be subject to different regulatory requirements among trading partners potentially leading to trade impedi- ments and enforcement issues globally. It is the general seed industrys belief that unnecessary regulation of products derived through precision breeding tools would result in undue costly regulatory burdens stifle innovation and prevent the adoption of innovative breeding applications. In recognizing this the International Seed Federation launched a Working Group on Plant Breeding and Innovation in 2015 to develop a strategy for political out- reach and communication. The working group in col- laboration with ISFs communications manager Jennifer Clowes is working to develop messages targeting specific stakeholders as part of a campaign. Julie Deering BREEDING METHODS AT A GLANCE Intragenesis Traditional Breeding Cisgenesis Regulatory Elements New compositions of coding sequences and promoters are made. The gene has its native promoter introns and terminator. The gene has its native promoter introns and terminator. Genetic Elements Allows construction of new genetic combinations introducing variability for gene expression Involves both desired and undesired genetic elements of crossed plants Involves exclusively the genes of interest and no undesired genetic elements Linkage Drag Avoided Present Avoided Time Factor Time saving since it is a fast and precise tool Time consuming and requires several generations of breeding and selection Time saving but takes much longer than intragenesis since genesfragmented genes may not be readily accessible Techniques Molecular cloning techniques recombination Crossing mutagenesis and somatic hybridization Molecular techniques Safety Deep concern about safety and impact on health and environment Safe crops being consumed since ages No environmental risk and safe as traditional bred plants Gene Pool Not conserved Preserved Preserved Genetic Make Up Original make up plant is not maintained Maintain original genetic make-up of plant variety Maintain original genetic make-up of plant variety Source Huda Nazeer of the University of Mauritius Moka a country in East Africa. 40 SEQUENCINGthe wheat genome has long been considered an insurmountable challenge. World demographics how- ever have left society with no choice wheat production must increase to feed a growing planet. Improving average wheat yields has become a major objective with genome sequencing as its prerequisite. Last year the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium IWGSC unveiled the first draft sequence of the bread wheat genome. A complete reference sequence that will pave the way to improved wheat varieties could be achieved by 2018. The European Union is the worlds leading wheat producer ahead of China and the United States with 20 per cent of the total world harvest 140 million tons in 2013 on 64 mil- lion acres cultivated. Today 4.6 million European farmers depend on this crop for their income. The EU leads the world in wheat improvement with a significant number of seed companies involved with breeding and production of wheat and wheat seeds as well as world-leading academic research institutes engaged in wheat research. In 2013 the contribution of wheat net output to the EU economy was estimated to be more than nine billion euros. With a projected world population of 9.6 billion by 2050 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO forecasts that demand for wheat will increase by 60 per cent. To meet that demand annual yield increases must grow from the current level of less than one per cent to at least 1.7 per cent. Since availability of new land is More financing needed so the full genome of bread wheat can be sequenced. The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium regularly adapts its strategy to integrate the newest sequencing technologies. PhotoIWGSC. Wheat Genome Sequencing CatchingUp NOVEMBER 2015 41 855.662.6609 aggrowth.comstorm The STORM is the latest innovation in seed treatment equipment delivering precision application with in-the-yard control. Dont miss out on the opportunity to get yours today. Until December 15th 2015 receive a 3500 off all new STORM units. Some conditions apply visit stormtreaters.com for more details. Enter to win the use of a STORM for the 2016 treating season For more details and to enter visit aggrowth.comSTORMuse limited to preserve biodiversity and water and nutrient resources are becoming scarcer the majority of this increase has to be achieved through crop and trait improvement on land currently cultivated. Paradigm Shift For years genomic resources for wheat improvement were lagging behind other major crops such as maize and rice. Because of its size 17 gigabytes five times larger than the human genome and complexity three sets of chromosomes with highly similar gene contents and a large proportion of repetitive DNA wheat was consid- ered impossible to sequence. Thus despite its socioeconomic importance and the recognition of the power that a genome sequence brings to breeding programs bread wheat remains one of the last major crops without a high- quality reference genome sequence. The IWGSC was created in 2005 to change this paradigm. The interna- tional public-private collaborative con- sortium was established by a group of wheat growers scientists and breeders. Its goal is to deliver a publicly avail- able high quality genome sequence of bread wheat that can serve as a foun- dation for wheat improvement and help to ensure profitability throughout the wheat value chain. The IWGSC is led by a board of direc- tors that develops the overall strategy and a leadership team in charge of daily management. The coordinating committee is comprised of sponsors and leaders of IWGSC projects. The committee is responsible for establish- ing the overall scientific strategy and the strategic roadmap. IWGSC membership is open to any individual who is interested in sup- porting the goals and activities of the consortium. A Milestone-based Strategy To circumvent genome complexity the IWGSC adopted a chromosome-based approach made possible through technological advancements in flow- sorting of chromosomes. The IWGSC follows a milestone-based adaptable strategy for all of the 21 bread wheat chromosomes. The three key milestones on the road- map are to Produce draft sequences that pro- vide a gene catalogue and localize as many genes along the chromo- somes as possible. Generate physical maps that serve as substrates for sequencing. Complete map-based reference sequences that accurately order more than 90 per cent of the genomic information and link the sequence to genetic and phenotypic maps. While the draft sequence provides useful information to breeders for marker-assisted selection the physical map-based strategy remains the only approach that can efficiently deliver with todays sequencing technology a high-quality ordered sequence com- parable to the gold standard reference sequence of rice. The IWGSC regu- larly adapts its strategy to integrate the newest sequencing technologies 42 while maintaining the objective of a high-quality refer- ence sequence. A physical map-based sequence is the best resource for understanding genome function as it provides access to the complete gene catalogue permits the identification and functional analysis of regulatory features and chromosomal organization and provides accurate maps of genetic mark- ers and intra-and inter-species variation that can be asso- ciated with specific traits such as quality yield drought tolerance or durable disease resistance. Significant Achievements The first milestone was reached in July 2014 with the pub- lication in the journal Science of draft sequences for each of the 21 wheat chromosomes and a putative order for about half of the genes on each chromosome. While not yet representing a complete sequence the capacity for the first time to identify the localization of a gene on a wheat chromosome in silico is already helping us to speed up our breeding efforts and map-based clon- ing projects for trait improvement says Catherine Feuillet head of trait research at Bayer CropScience and IWGSC board member. The completion of the second milestone is well underway as physical maps for 16 chromosomes have been devel- oped and five draft maps should be finished before the end of 2016. Progress toward the final milestone is gathering momen- tum. The first reference sequence of a wheat chromosome 3B was completed in France and published in 2014 in the same special issue of Science as the draft sequences. Reference sequencing of 11 other chromosomes is under- way in 11 countries and will be completed during the next 18 months. The IWGSC currently seeks funding for the remaining nine chromosomes and proposals for four are pending before national funding agencies. Successful and Sustainable Public-Private Partnership International research laboratories and seed companies have been instrumental in achieving IWGSC milestones. The wheat genome sequencing project is an example of a successful and sustainable public-private partnership with clear and consistent objectives designed to produce resources for breeders and ultimately growers. The chromosome-based approach allowed the IWGSC to support building skills and resources in many countries by engaging research teams in the development of physical maps and sequences. Even though this international par- ticipatory effort adds to coordination challenges it facili- tates cost sharing and rapid application of the data into the numerous wheat breeding programs around the world. The IWGSC currently has projects in 21 countries and 1100 members representing 361 research institutions or private companies in 55 countries. An additional 350 indi- viduals from 56 institutes and five additional countries are registered to use the publicly available data that has been generated by IWGSC projects. Contributions and Benefits For Seeds Companies and Growers Seed companies and grower organizations have been involved in the consortium since its establishment. An essential aspect of their contribution is to provide input on strategic orientations. For example their input was critical at the beginning as it was necessary to decide which wheat variety should be sequenced. Bread wheat was selected as that is the variety grown by 95 per cent of the farmers. Simultaneously seed companies wanted access to the sequence of bread wheat rather than that of wild diploid Researchers continue their pursuit of improving wheat a staple crop around the world. PhotoFlormond-Desprez. Wheat breeding still requires the hands of skilled breeder. PhotoFlormond-Desprez. NOVEMBER 2015 43 ISO 90012008 certied Fully Accredited for Full Service Make your foresight 2020 what you cant see wont hurt you or so the saying goes. In the case of seed nothing could be more wrong. What lurks unseen and unknown can cost you and your customers big money. Find out more at 2020seedlabs.cathe2020difference Contact us toll-free at 1-877-420-2099 Join the conversation the2020difference Trait Stewardship Responsibilities Notice to Farmers Monsanto Company is a member of Excellence Through Stewardship ETS. Monsanto products are commercialized in accordance with ETS Product Launch Stewardship Guidance and in compliance with Monsantos Policy for Commercialization of Biotechnology-Derived Plant Products in Commodity Crops. Commercialized products have been approved for import into key export markets with functioning regulatory systems. Any crop or material produced from this product can only be exported to or used processed or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. It is a violation of national and international law to move material containing biotech traits across boundaries into nations where import is not permitted. Growers should talk to their grain handler or product purchaser to confirm their buying position for this product. Excellence Through Stewardship is a registered trademark of Excellence Through Stewardship. ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW PESTICIDE LABEL DIRECTIONS. Roundup Ready crops contain genes that confer tolerance to glyphosate the active ingredient in Roundup brand agricultural herbicides. Roundup brand agricultural herbicides will kill crops that are not tolerant to glyphosate. Acceleron seed treatment technology for canola contains the active ingredients difenoconazole metalaxyl M and S isomers fludioxonil and thiamethoxam. Acceleron seed treatment technology for canola plus Vibrance is a combination of two separate individually-registered products which together contain the active ingredients difenoconazole metalaxyl M and S isomers fludioxonil thiamethoxam and sedaxane. Acceleron seed treatment technology for corn fungicides and insecticide is a combination of four separate individually-registered products which together contain the active ingredients metalaxyl trifloxystrobin ipconazole and clothianidin. Acceleron seed treatment technology for corn fungicides only is a combination of three separate individually-registered products which together contain the active ingredients metalaxyl trifloxystrobin and ipconazole. Acceleron seed treatment technology for corn with Poncho VoTivo fungicides insecticide and nematicide is a combination of five separate individually-registered products which together contain the active ingredients metalaxyl trifloxystrobin ipconazole clothianidin and Bacillus firmus strain I-1582. Acceleron seed treatment technology for soybeans fungicides and insecticide is a combination of four separate individually registered products which together contain the active ingredients fluxapyroxad pyraclostrobin metalaxyl and imidacloprid. Acceleron seed treatment technology for soybeans fungicides only is a combination of three separate individually registered products which together contain the active ingredients fluxapyroxad pyraclostrobin and metalaxyl. Acceleron and Design Acceleron DEKALB and Design DEKALB Genuity and Design Genuity JumpStart RIB Complete and Design RIB Complete Roundup Ready 2 Technology and Design Roundup Ready 2 Yield Roundup Ready Roundup Transorb Roundup WeatherMAX Roundup SmartStax and Design SmartStax Transorb VT Double PRO and VT Triple PRO are registered trademarks of Monsanto Technology LLC Used under license. Vibrance and Fortenza are registered trademarks of a Syngenta group company. LibertyLink and the Water Droplet Design are trademarks of Bayer. Used under license. Herculex is a registered trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. Used under license. Poncho and Votivo are trademarks of Bayer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. wheat because they wanted tools that could have a direct immediate impact on their wheat breeding programs. Another contribution is financial. By paying an annual sponsorship fee to the IWGSC seed companies and grower organizations enable the professional management of the consortium the organization of workshops and the devel- opment of communication materials to provide platforms for developing and advancing projects. Finally seed companies can support projects directly if they wish to accelerate the global achievement of the objectives. For example in 2011 Graminor and Biogemma provided the first funding support for the draft sequenc- ing of the 21 chromosomes while Bayer CropScience provided one million euros in 2014 to achieve the physi- cal maps. In return for their support seed companies and grower organizations are part of the coordinating committee and have pre-publication access to all data which can greatly accelerate the implementation of the sequence-based resources into their own breeding programs. Varietal improvements based on data from IWGSC projects are emerging already. For example CDC Fortitude a new durum wheat cultivar was developed by a team at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre in Canada in part using DNA markers that were identified from early access to the reference sequence of chromosome 3B. Moreover about a dozen genes related to controlling traits involved in the resistance to pathogens drought tol- erance and yield are being isolated currently using the reference sequence information of chromosome 3B. Ultimately growers will benefit from the work of the con- sortium by having access to new varieties faster and having access to those that are developed with technologies not yet accessible in wheat. Having an enabling tool such as a reference sequence will increase future investments in wheat breeding for the benefit of growers because com- panies will have a better mechanism for value capture. Its been a challenge to secure funding for sequencing the wheat genome. In contrast to other sequencing pro- jects the IWGSC has not been allocated a lump sum for the whole sequencing project but has had to work with project leaders all over the world to secure funding from national agencies and private companies. During the past 10 years the IWGSC has raised approxi- mately 50 million euros for physical mapping and sequenc- ing projects. About 11.5 million euros in funding is still needed to produce assemble and make available all remaining sequence data. Provided that funding is secured soon the IWGSC antici- pates that a high-quality genome sequence for bread wheat could be publicly available by 2018. Kellye Eversole 44 BASFgave G er m i n at ion a firsthand look at the expanded site which is its only onefor the manufacture research and development sales and distribution of its entire range of nematode-based biological control products for the global market. The expansion dou- bles the plants fermentation capacity to 190000 litres. Our customers see an increasingly important role in using beneficial nem- atodes in Integrated Pest Management programs as they are easy to apply have a longer window of activity and can effectively control yield-robbing pests says Graeme Gowling BASF Functional Crop Care group leader of global biologicals marketing. The Littlehampton facility employs 35 people and is an important compo- nent of BASF Crop Protection and its recently-formed Functional Crop Care division supporting a global portfolio of beneficial nematode-based products including the Nemaslug and Nemasys products for customers in the vegetable horticulture and turf industries. Beneficial nematodes are naturally- occurring microscopic organisms that can be used to control a diverse range of insect and slug pests. BASFs scien- tists have isolated individual species of beneficial nematodes that target spe- cific garden pests including slugs vine weevils chafer grubs leatherjackets caterpillars codling moth and more. BASFExpands BiologicalsSite In Littlehampton United Kingdom BASF inaugurated the expansion of its premier biologicals site. PhotoBASF. Two technicians check the operation of a fermentator at BASFs recently expanded Littlehampton facility in the United Kingdom. 46 Seed Treaters ScaleWeigh Hoppers Complete USC Automation Universal Pump Stands Tri-Flo Continuous Treating Tube Series Conveyors Walking Legs Vibrating Hoppers Air Operated Bin Gates Dump Re-Bag Hoppers Mix Tanks U-Tote Direct Inject Bin Fill Conveyors Underbin Conveyors Truck Unload Conveyors www.canseedequip.com 332 Packham Ave. Saskatoon SK S7N 2T1 Toll Free 1-800-644-8397 The Littlehampton site is also one of the facilities BASF uses to manufac- ture seed-applied inoculant products such as Nodulaid and Nodulator used in Canada and the United States Gelfix in Brazil as well as HiCoat and Vault HP in Argentina Brazil and Europe. The seed-applied inoculants made at the facility contain rhizobia bacteria that in a symbiotic relationship with their host legume plant produce root nodules to increase nitrogen fixation. Beneficial nematodes are multi-cellular organisms which means scientifically they are classified as animals Gowling adds. With plant capacity now dou- bling BASF believes the Littlehampton facility is the worlds largest manufac- turer of animals in the world. And like animals the nematodes must be carefully looked after. Its a big reason BASF has put so much care into designing the expansion. With its many fermentation vessels one might mistake the equipment for that found in a brewery or distillery Gowling adds. But it is anything but standard fare. PhotoBASF. Nematode starter cultures must be inspected. NOVEMBER 2015 47 The building houses five state-of- the-art production vessels ranging in capacity from 6200 litres to 75000 litres and 12 smaller inoculum ves- sels.The facility runs at full capacity year round. When youre producing an inert prod- uct like a chemistry you can standard- ize things. Here we have to remember we are always dealing with a living organism and a big part of our job is to make sure the grower gets a consist- ently-performing product based on a living organism Gowling says. Growing a Market The facility also represents the suc- cess of BASFs Functional Crop Care division formed in 2012 when BASF acquired Becker Underwood and with it the Littlehampton facility which first opened in 1996. Functional Crop Care serves as a global business unit providing bio- logical seed treatment seed enhance- ment and biological crop protection products. With those products getting more popular sales of more than 750million in 2020 are forecasted for Functional Crop Care a number of innovations are in the pipeline. They include biological insecticide Conveni and nitrification inhibitor Vizura. Its an opportune time to expand capacity at the Littlehampton plant according to Philipp Rosendorfer BASF Functional Crop Care vice-pres- ident of research and development. What a strong signal of success this is for our biological products says Rosendorfer adding that because both manufacturing and research and devel- opment take place at the Littlehampton site its the perfect hub for innovation in beneficial nematode and seed inoc- ulants. This expansion will clearly lead to a better market penetration and broaden our market base and this will feed back to our research people and offer a better understanding of market needs and develop additional market potential and that feeds back into the development of new products. Marc Zienkiewicz Graeme Gowling group leader of global biologicals marketing for BASF Functional Crop Care talks about how BASFs biological products work. PhotoMarcZienkiewicz. 70 experienced and fully trained inspectors locally located across Canada Nationwide leading provider of seed crop inspection VVisit www.cropinspect.ca for more information and to locate an inspector www.cropinspect.ca CropInspect was founded by to deliver dependable seed crop inspection services to the seed industry. Inspectors you Know Inspectors you Trust CROPINSPECT 48 CSTA GROWING OPPORTUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD CANADA ENJOYS a world-wide reputation as a leading producer and exporter of high-quality seed for a wide variety of crops. According to the Seed Sector Value Chain Round Table Canadian seed exports were valued at approximately 450 million in 2012-2013. Data from the International Seed Federation ranks Canada among the top 10 largest exporters of seed for sowing in 2012-2013. Add in strong import data and these numbers reflect a vibrant global seed industry. Canadas updated Plant Breeders Rights legislation and ratification of the 1991 Convention of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants UPOV 91 have opened doors to investment partnership and innovation and new varieties that never would have come to Canada without these changes. This streamlined regulatory climate at home and a track record of international collaboration sets the stage for the seed industry to benefit from access to open trade of seed. CSTA advocates on behalf of its 125 members for the unrestricted trade of seed around the world. The board of directors recognizes international collaboration and partnership as vital keys to opening doors to new opportunities and has taken steps to further its goals at the international level. CSTAs International Committee is fully engaged in monitoring trends and lending CSTAs voice to the international dialogue on best practices and innovation. As part of our international work CSTA participates in the Seed Association of the Americas SAA as a founding member and is an active member in the International Seed Federation ISF. These memberships provide additional value to CSTA members which will only grow as CSTA continues its strong engagement at the international level. Seed Association of the Americas Membership in SAA offers CSTA opportunities to advocate for open borders for the seed trade and to create the best condi- tions to facilitate the seed industry in the Americas. SAA works to educate and support development marketing and free movement of the seed across North Central and South America as well as advocating on seed industry legislation and regulatory issues. CSTA representatives lend expertise and knowledge to SAAs Biotechnology Phytosanitary Seed Treatment Intellectual Property and Membership and Operations working groups. In exchange CSTA gains knowledge about international best practices and strengthens valuable international relation- ships. Its a win-win for both CSTA and our SAA partners. Learn more about the SAA at www.saaseed.org. CSTA is represented on the SAA Board of Directors by Scott Horner current CSTA president. International Seed Federation CSTA is linked to the global com- munity through its membership with the International Seed Federation. ISF works to improve the conditions of inter- national seed trade as well as strengthen international property rights worldwide. CSTA members lend their expertise to ISF through working groups on Low Level Presence Biotechnology Phytosanitary and Communications. CSTA benefits from ISFs representation at intergovern- mental organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and UPOV. With the priority of facilitating the international movement of seed involve- ment in ISF opens doors to international opportunities for CSTA members. Learn more about ISF at www.worldseed.org. CSTA is repre- sented on the ISF Board of Directors by Ellen Sparry a current CSTA Board member. Going Forward CSTA has begun a strategic planning process that will result in a refreshed strategic plan and goals for the organization. Unrestricted trade of seed will remain a key priority and the board is already looking at strategies to keep CSTA front and centre in global markets. Your views on how CSTA members can benefit from international participation are welcome and encouraged. Contact Crosby Devitt executive director at cdevittcdnseed.org or attend the upcoming International Committee meeting Wednesday Nov. 18 during CSTAs Semi-Annual Meeting in Saskatoon Sask. Drive-over HopperConventional Auger Conventional Auger - Feterl Original Backsaver Auger - Feterl Original 1214 Backsaver Auger - Feterl Original 12 Backsaver Auger 101316 Utility Auger Unloading Auger Rollermill Hammermill Grain Vac - PTO Model Grain Vac - Diesel Model Grain Cleaner Crucial details connecting your combine to the market Visit www.farm-king.com to find a dealer near you. 2015 Buhler Trading Inc. infobuhler.com www.farm-king.com Higher input costs and tighter margins require a complete grain management system to make your operation as profitable as possible. The complete line of Farm King grain handling equipment ensures you get top dollar for your crop. With decades of grain handling experience Farm King offers everything you need to get your grain to market after it leaves the combine. www.farm-king.com Grain Cart - 10601360 50 ARE YOU JUST TRYING TO KEEP UP IN PREVIOUS COLUMNS we have talked about changes in the seed sector that stemmed from alternative service delivery for seed crop inspection. This issue of Germination also features change new breeding techniques Ontario regulations on neonics new wheat classes and communicating about science and technology. Just trying to keep up with the changes happening around us is a challenge and it takes some dedication and commitment to stay up-to-date on all the changes. The impact of not keeping up can in some cases be costly. New wheat classes are an example. Growing a variety that has moved between wheat classes could result in a financial penalty to your operation. The new Plant Breeders Rights legislation could also be another example. Reading articles such as those in this edition are a good start. Attending meetings that are of most relevance to your operation is also an effective means of staying up-to-date on changes. Networking listening to expert presentations and picking up literature at meetings should be seen as a key strategy for trying to keep up. It is in fact a strategy for professional development in some cases. The CSGA Annual Meeting which will be held July 2016 in Manitoba and provincial seed grower association annual meetings are the types of meetings people in the seed sector should attend. There are seven provincial or branch seed grower associations in Canada from British Columbia to the Maritimes. Their annual meetings routinely cover issues and topics like those being addressed in this issue. Many of them routinely also provide reports on what is new in the pipeline for varieties of crops being bred and produced in that Province or region. So depending upon what part of the country you live in mark the following dates for provincial seed grower association meetings on your calendar Dec. 2-3 Chateau Moncton Moncton N.B. Dec. 8 Four Points Sheraton London Ont. Dec. 9-10 Victoria Inn Winnipeg Man. Jan. 13-14 2016 Saskatoon Inn Saskatoon Sask. Jan. 22 2016 Fort St. John B.C. details to be determined Jan. 24-25 2016 Westin Edmonton Alta. February 2016 Quebec date and location to be determined Get involved and stay informed of the changes that are happening around you in the Canadian seed sector. Pushing the Boundaries It is often said it is not what you know but who you know. A strong balance of what you know and who you know might be a better combination for success and leadership. Just trying to keep up is a big part of leadership and ultimately success for your business. Heres a set of unconventional criteria to help determine if you are keeping up with change. Dont be satisfied with your ability to just keep up if 1. Nothing is being changed. Leadership is about new. Its about change. 2. No paradigms are being challenged. Many times the best change is a change of mid-set. Leaders are constantly learning so they can challenge inside the box thinking. 3. Youre not asking questions. A great part of leadership is about discovery and you only get answers if you ask questions. 4. There are competing visions. One of the surest ways to derail progress is to have multiple visions as this divides energy and people and confuses instead of bringing clarity. 5. No one is complaining.You cant lead anything involving worthwhile change where everyone agrees. 6. People arent being stretched.When things are changing and challenging there will always be times of confusion. Thats when good leaders get even better at communicating and listening. 7. People being happy has become the goal. Progress hopefully makes most people happy but when the goal begins with happiness no one is ever really made happy. CSGA will be considering these seven criteria as we transition to our new executive director Glyn Chancey who came on staff in early October 2015. This includes a strategic planning exercise with the entire CSGA Board of Directors and senior staff beginning in November. CSGA WHAT A STORY. Times change your farm grows yet Proven Seed is still a strong dependable brand that growers can count on. From our first commercial seed varieties including Delta canola Derby oats Stein barley and Heinrichs alfalfa to our new high-performing genetics in canola cereals and forages thank you for 25 years of growing and succeeding alongside Proven Seed in Western Canada. provenseed.ca Proven Seed is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services Canada Inc. CPS CROP PRODUCTION SERVICES and Design is a registered trademark of Crop Production Services Inc. STILL PROVEN 25 years 52 THE COMMERCIAL SEED Analysts Association of Canada CSAAC seeks applicants for its inaugural grant to be given annually in the amount 500 for students in post- secondary studies in the field of agriculture or plant sciences at a recognized Canadian institution. Through this grant CSAAC looks to encourage students to pursue degrees related to agriculture so as to promote the development of expertise in the agricultural sector. Grant applicants are evaluated based on past perfor- mance at school full-time enrolment in a Canadian university extracurricular activities and an accompa- nying essay. The topic of the one- to two-page essay asks students why they feel they should receive this grant from CSAAC. Upon submission a three-member panel representing CSAAC reviews the applications and selects the best candidate. With 2015 being the first year for CSAACs 500 student grant the association embarks on another new path adding to its already rich history. During CSAACs annual meeting in Saskatoon Sask. which was held June 22-24 the 2015 grant winner was announced. We are pleased to honour Laurie Lalibert from Quebec with this grant. Congratulations to Laurie Lalibert Lalibert is 20 years old and is in her last year of school at the Institut de Technologie Agricole de La Pocatiere ITA at Ste-Anne-de-la Pocatiere on the ITA campus. She plans to continue her education in agriculture by attending university this fall. She grew up on her familys dairy farm which also grows forages and cereals and has been involved on the farm since she was a young child. Through her work in school Lalibert has become quite involved in the interpretation of quality analysis of grains. She has performed very well at school and has been active in the community. In addition Lalibert has worked on a number of farms in many areas to accumulate more experience and broaden her scope of knowledge in the CSAAC SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN AGRICULTURE CSAAC agricultural industry. In the summer of 2016 Lalibert will be working on a farm in the Netherlands to further expand her agricultural experience. For the next five years Lalibert will continue her studies at university and upon graduation she plans to work as an agronomist. After a career in agronomy she hopes to one day return to the family farm and contribute her skills and expertise to ensure its success in a sustainable future. At that time her father will turn more of the family farm responsibilities over to her and ultimately Lalibert will eventually be responsible for the family farm. Lalibert is a well-deserved successful candidate and CSAAC wishes her much luck in her future endeavours. We at CSAAC are excited to know that through the grant we will have played a small part in her success. Nominations Welcome CSAAC welcomes applications for the 2016 annual grant of 500. All applications will be considered and appli- cations must be submitted to the CSAAC office by May 15 2016. Individuals interested in applying for the grant can find the application form and more information on the CSAACs website www.seedanalysts.ca under Student Grants. The CSAAC grant is open to all Canadians across Canada. Bilingual forms and information are available for can- didates to apply. If you have any questions or concerns please dont hesitate to contact the CSAAC office at 204-763-4610 or by email at csaacexecutivedirectorgmail.com. Founded in 1944 CSAAC is a group of more than 100 members across Canada and the United States who are dedicated to excellence in the seed testing industry. Get Actionable Results With Our Digital Advertising Positions THE FIRST SEED-INDUSTRY PUBLISHERS TO DEVELOP CREATIVE DIGITAL DISPLAY OPTIONS FOR ADVERTISERS. ROLL DOWN AD NEW BOOK YOUR UNIQUE AD POSITION TODAY Learn more at issuesink.comdigital-opportunities Book your position by contacting marketingissuesink.com Carousel Pop-Up Roll Down Slider Take Over Sticky Beltway Video Ad MAKE THE MOST OF SHORT SEASONS. Rocky Mountain Equipment carries the legendary Case IH Early Riser Planter row unit designed with agronomics in mind so you can make the most of short planting windows. New features mean accurate in-row spacing excellent soil-to-seed contact and earlier uniform emergence. Find these and other dependable CASE IH units at one of our 40 dealerships across the Canadian prairies. DEPENDABLE IS WHAT WE DO. ROCKYMTN.COM For more information call 306.966.1382 Register online at ccde.usask.cacmp or call 306.966.5539 Compliance Management Program CMP for Confined Field Trials Gain knowledge and understanding on how to properly conduct a confined field trial of plants with novel traits in Canada. This flexible and interactive online course allows you to study where and when you want. Ensure you are compliant with Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFIA regulations Compliance Management Program Enrol now. Cost 350.00 GST Investment in this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program CAAP. In Ontario this program is delivered by the Agricultural Adaptation Council. 58 STATUSGermany GERMAN RESEARCHERS at the company Boschs Deepfield Robotics developed Bonirob an autonomous robot that is able to determine which strains of a plant are most apt to survive insects and viruses and how much fertilizer they would need and then smash any weeds. Bonirob is now available as a research platform and Deepfield hopes that it will be available to farmers within 20 to 30 years. To determine which plants are good and which ones are not the robot uses decision-tree learning. Researchers show Bonirob pictures of healthy leaves that are tagged to be good and pictures of weeds that are tagged to be bad. Then Bonirob makes a series of choices based on observed data to determine if a plant in the field is good or bad. As the robot collects new images the algorithms are updated. Over time based on parameters such as leaf colour shape and size Bonirob learns how to differentiate more and more accurately between the plants we want and the plants we dont want says Amos Albert Deepfield general manager. The robots weeding mecha- nism is meant to structur- ally destroy weeds so that desired plants have a growth advantage. In carrot cultivation trials it was more than 90 per cent effective reports Birgit Schulz Deepfield communica- tions lead. Its also completely mechanical. Source Popular Science. STATUSGhana AT A biotechnology and biosafety sensitization workshop in Techiman Central Ghana farm leaders challenged their government and scientists to better educate farmers and stakeholders about the safety of geneticially-modified crops with the hopes of easing fears. The workshop organized by the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri- biotech Applications ISAAA introduced farmers to the basics of genetic engineering and shared information about the national regional and global status of biotechnology and biosafety. To help build participating farmers confidence in talking about biotechnology and biosafety issues they were trained in the principles of science communication and equipped with knowledge on where to look for credible information. Farm leaders shared that if workshops such as this one were organized at the grassroots level farmerswould not be holding placards and demonstrating over a technology that could possibly help them. At the end of the workshop the presidents of four key farm organizations represented at the forum signed a communiqu calling on the government to facilitate adoption of GM crops. The communiqu also asked scientists to strengthen their relationship with farmers as well as encouraged govern- ment to give science and tech- nology space to improve the quality accessibility affordabil- ity and sustainability of food production. Source ISAAA. STATUSIndia THE NATIONAL Seed Association of India NSAI has requested a refund of more than 1300 rupees paid as a royalty to Mahyco Monsanto Biotech MMBL in the past five years for using the Bollgard technology in cotton hybrids. The Hyderabad-based body reported the dispute between MMBL and seed companies over royalty payments should be resolved as soon as possible to ensure a smooth supply of cotton seeds to farmers. MMBL has taken eight seed companies to court for refusing to pay trait fees of 400 rupees for using its technology in cotton hybrids and for breach of contract. MMBL has sub- licensed the technology to 49 domestic seed firms. The seed companies are estimated to have paid more than 1300 rupees to MMBL over and above the government stipulated trait value and they Technology be it robots for improved plant breeding or biotech for improved crop production hits the spotlight and is the topic of conversation from Germany to the Philippines. NOVEMBER 2015 59 seek refund of the same with interest after adjusting the trait value payable for the current year according to NSAI. Its reported that after the cotton seeds were taken out of the ambit of the Essential Commodities Act the state governments promulgated legislations to regulate prices of Bt cotton seeds. The seed industry accepted the price orders passed by the respective state governments in the interest of farmers. The association explained that the state governments insisted that they have fixed the royalty reasonable and that seed companies are not bound to consider the private agreements. It is a commonly accepted principle that once the pricing of the product is based on a statute the bilateral agreements are superseded NSAI shared. In a release NSAI wrote Under the circumstances it is important for MMBL and the seed companies to reconcile to the statutory orders and move forward as both are working for the welfare of farmers. If the dispute remains unre- solved cotton seed production in India could be disrupted. Source Business Standard. STATUS The Philippines THE PHILIPPINE Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy Planning Research and Development and Regulations Segfredo Serrano received the declaration of support for the commercial planting of the fruit and shoot borer resistant Bt eggplant. Copies of the declarations were handed over Sept. 30 by biotech corn farmer Edwin Paraluman during the Forum on the Global Alliance for Agri- biotech Model on Low-level Presence and GM and Organic Farming Co-existence in the City of Iloilo on Panay Island. After learning about the science safety and potential benefits of Bt eggplant from the University of the Philippines Los Baos the declarations were signed by nearly 700 Filipino farmers scientists and other agribusiness stakeholders. I would hope that there will come a day when we dont need exhaustive resources to get a petition for government to appreciate and to remind us to push a particular issue that is a legitimate right for our farmers and our stakeholders Serrano said after recognizing farmers sentiments. Desiree Hautea project leader and proponent of Bt eggplant in the Philippines from the University of the Philippines Los Baos first introduced Bt eggplant to the country to help address the yield loss caused by borers lessen pesticide usage and labour improve human and environmental health and ultimately increase farmers profits. Paraluman said he has been waiting for Bt eggplant for a long time. If I will get rich in planting corn the more I will get rich in planting eggplant he said. Because I have planted eggplant but 70 to 90 per cent have been damaged because of the eggplant borer. With Bt eggplant we will also have less spraying so its good for the health. Source ISAAA. STATUS South Korea ACCORDING TO researchers from South Korea a twist on a revolutionary gene-editing technique might make it possible to modify plant genomes while sidestepping national biosafety regulations. Plant scientists have been quick to experiment with the popular CRISPRCas9 technique which uses an enzyme called Cas9 guided by two RNA strands to precisely cut segments of DNA in a genome. By disabling specific genes in wheat and rice for example researchers hope to make disease-resistant strains. But the process can introduce bits of foreign DNA into plant genomes. And some jurisdictions such as the European Union could decide to classify such plants as genetically modified organisms making their acceptance by regulatory bodies contentious says geneticist Jin-Soo Kim of Seoul National University. Kim and his team tweaked the technique so that it can delete specific plant genes without introducing foreign DNA creating plants that he and his colleagues think might be exempt from current GMO regulations. In terms of science our approach is just another improvement in the field of genome editing says Kim. However in terms of regula- tions and public acceptance our method could be path- breaking. Source Nature.com. 62 as Perryfields in Britain Cebeco Seeds Group in the Netherlands and the Pickseed companies in Canada and the United States. We had reached a point where the DLF identity was becoming blurred by the many different names and logos under which we were operating throughout the world Truels Damsgaard CEO of DLF explains. We felt that it was time to unite the DLF family under a single recognizable identity with a new name and logo. As a result all former company names including Innoseeds Prodana and even DLF-TRIFOLIUM have been replaced by the DLF name and a uniform DLF logo. Bayer CropScience completed a 15.6 million expansion to its canola seed processing facility originally built in 2006 that sits on the outskirts of Lethbridge Alta. Now reported as the largest canola seed processing facility in the world the expansion increased building capacity to 43000 square feet and its bin storage and conveyance systems to a five-acre footprint. The plant can now process more than 30000 tonnes of canola seed per year. Southern Alberta is the centre of hybrid canola seed production in Canada and the major canola seed companies all have facilities in the region. Al Driver president of Bayer CropScience Canada said one of every two Canadian canola fields grew the companys InVigor brand last year and thats the basis that we have built and expanded this facility. C L Seed Production Group Inc. opened a new processing facility in Blenheim Ont. ready in time to receive the 2015 seed corn harvest. The facility is the first new seed corn drying facility to open in Canada for many years. The modular technology being used in the facility has the ability to match the amounts of electricity and natural gas being used to the amount of corn being dried. This allows for tighter control of the amount of heat and fan intensity for the specific batch of corn being processed according to C L. The facility will be used for wholesale production of seed corn and will serve North American and export markets. PEOPLE NEWS Syngenta chief executive officer and executive director Mike Mack informed the companys board of his intention to step down at the end of October. The board accepted his decision. John Ramsay chief financial officer will serve as interim CEO until a new chief executive is appointed. On behalf of the Board I should like to thank Mike for his very significant contribution to Syngenta says Michel Demar Syngenta chairman. Under his strong strategic and operational leadership Syngenta developed and implemented its innovative integrated strategy and the commitments behind the Good Growth Plan. Mack said he believes this is an appropriate time for the company to benefit from the perspectives of a new leader. Darren Wallis joins Bayer CropScience as the new North American vice-president and head of communications for the CropScience division. In this position Wallis is responsible for all internal and external corporate communications activities including corporate reputation media relations corporate social responsibility employee communications digital communications and issues management. Wallis will be based at the North American headquarters for Bayers CropScience division in Research Triangle Park N.C. Wallis has more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications. Most recently he served in various communications roles at Monsanto Company. His previous work experience involved serving clients in a variety of industries at two large international public relations firms. AgriThority LLC adds Beau Musser to the companys leadership team as chief financial officer. Musser has experience in budgeting financial analyses and management. In this role he will play an integral role in business development lead business case analyses and database management and supervise internal and external financial accounting and reporting. He will also serve as project controller for AgriThority and its clients. Beau has a reputation for improving business operations through the creation of custom analysis systems and financial forecasts says Jerry Duff AgriThority managing member. His expertise in business planning financial tracking and market research will streamline the efforts of AgriThority and its clients. AgriThority is a consulting firm that provides product and field development services as well as market access services to the crop protection seed seed treatment plant nutrition and precision agriculture sectors. Arysta LifeScience makes organizational changes to more fully integrate the French company Gomar which it acquired in March 2014. Paula Pinto former global head of value- added portfolio and regulatory for Arysta LifeScience will lead the companys newly created Global Portfolio Management Organization which now includes a wide range of products across three segments seed treatments conventional crop protection and biosolutions. Global product development manager Mark Singleton will lead the newly consolidated Global Regulatory and RD Organization on an interim basis. Jean-Pierre Princen formerly global head of biosolutions and seed treatment has assumed the position of senior biosolutions advisor to Arysta LifeScience. In addition Jos Nobre has been appointed president of Gomar. Nobre retains his previous positions of CEO for Europe of Arysta LifeScience and president of the Agro Branch of Arysta LifeScience Europe. Ellen Kullman chair and CEO of DuPont retired from the company Oct. 16. Edward Breen a current member of the DuPont Board of Directors will assume the role of interim NOVEMBER 2015 63 chair and CEO of DuPont. The board has engaged an executive recruitment firm to identify a full-time replacement. Over the past seven years with the dedication of our entire team we have transformed this great company by focusing our portfolio streamlining the organization and driving innovation that leverages our unique science and engineering capabilities Kullman said. With a strong foundation in place now is the right time for a new leader to continue to drive the pace of change to capitalize fully on the opportunity ahead. As of Oct. 1 JanWillem Breukink became a member of the Supervisory Board of the Royal Barenbrug Group succeeding Cees Veerman. Breukink served as the chief executive officer of the Incotec Group BV until 2014 of which he is still a major shareholder. Since January 2002 Incotec is a fully independent technology provider for products and services in the seed industry. Under the management of Breukink Incotec developed from a small department of Royal Sluis into a strong and independent operation with local companies in more than 13 countries. Apart from his work for Incotec Breukink has been appointed by the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs as member of the Top Team Topsector Tuinbouw en Uitgangsmaterialen. He is active as chairman of the Dutch association Seed Valley and is chairman of the Seed Treatment and Technology Working Group of the European Seed Association. Arysta LifeScience North America addsEric Hojnocki to its Canadian sales team. Hojnocki joins the company as a territory sales manager for the Yorkton and Dauphin sales region. In this role Hojnocki will deepen relationships with existing Arysta LifeScience customers and develop new customers to help grow the business. Hojnocki has more than 10 years of experience in agribusiness operating a custom sprayer and independent retail business in the Roblin area. He holds a diploma in agribusiness from the Assiniboine Community College. Additionally Hojnocki attained Certified Crop Adviser status in 2014. PRODUCT NEWS Syngenta Canada Inc.announces the launch of Elatus a new fungicide for control of foliar diseases across all major Canadian pulse crops including lentils chickpeas and field peas. Elatus fungicide is a co-pack combination of two active ingredients Solatenol benzovindiflupyr a newly registered Group 7 succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor SDHI foliar fungicide and azoxystrobin Group 11. Elatus is one of three upcoming fungicide products from Syngenta that will feature Solatenol in Canada. BASF and Monsanto Canada expand their joint product offering called Powerful Combinations in Western Canada to include more solutions for soybean and canola growers in the 2016 growing season to maximize production. Together we offer our customers Powerful Combinations for Western Canada says Julia Harnal marketing manager for Crop Protection at BASF Canada. This offer includes both herbicides and fungicides to help growers manage crop diseases and resistance issues. Located in The Netherlands Koppert Biological Systems develops a seed-applied biostimulant for arable crops. The product was launched during an international seminar on the benefits of microbials in seed treatment and crop growth. Koppert has developed Panoramix a concentrated liquid seed dressing especially for large arable crops such as maize and wheat. The product contains a mix of plant growth-promoting micro-organisms that are beneficial for the crop. According to the company these protect the seeds strengthen the seedling and promote growth and development of the root system and the fully grown crop. Lets Grow Together Seed Grain Testing Soil-Borne Disease Analytics DNA Varietal Purity Seed Crop Inspection more www.biovision.ca 1-800-952-5407 seed_testing Sherwood Park Winnipeg Grande Prairie ISO 90012008 registered 64 It wasnt until Dec. 24 1998 in a small office in Ottawa Ont. that Jim McCullagh who served as the Canadian Seed Institutes CSI first exec- utive director signed the first authorization agreement with Mike Scheffel of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency CFIA. That was a noteworthy moment for the seed industry. During that time much like today the federal government was looking to cut costs by delegating responsibility to the seed industry which resulted in the birth of CSI. This was a clear signal that the industrys role in seed certification was starting to expand. The formation of CSI represented a united response from seed industry stakeholders to changes in their business environment. The Canadian Seed Growers Association the Canadian Seed Trade Association and the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada were the founding members of CSI and were later joined by the Association of Alberta Co-op Seed Cleaning Plants and the Quebec Seed Conditioners. Created as a neutral body to provide third-party oversight of seed industry activities that needed to comply with the federal Seeds Act and Seeds Regulations CSI was given the authority by CFIA to assess Registered Seed Establishments RSEs for accreditation Operators and Graders of RSEs for accreditation and Accredited Seed Labs for ongoing accreditation. In 2002 CFIA continued to delegate oversight activities to the seed industry with the establishment of the its Canadian Phytosanitary Certification Program for Seed CPCPS. This was a program designed by CFIA to let Canadian companies employ a quality system ensuring that the small seed lots they ship to the United States comply with U.S. phytosanitary import requirements. Expanding Services Like the seed industry the grain markets are demanding with many unique specifications around product quality and traceability which presented a new opportunity for Providing Cost-Effective Services CSIs third-party verification system as Canadas grain industry has a strong reputation in international markets for delivering safe high quality grain. To support the industrys work implementing grain quality assurance systems CSI worked with the Canadian Grain Commission CGC as they developed a voluntary program for identity preservation and food safety specifically for the grain handling industry. The Canadian Identity Preserved Recognition System CIPRS and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point programs HACCP are tools the industry can use to provide third- party assurance that the programs they have implemented deliver the unique quality and traceability specifications their clients demand. CSI is the only accredited audit body delivering CIPRS and HACCP audits on behalf of the CGC. Meeting Demands More recently CSI has been working with the Grain Farmers of Ontario GFO on a soybean sustainability initiative. The Round Table for Responsible Soy RTRS is a sustainability initiative with roots in South America. Like many agricultural sustainability initiatives the RTRS standard is based on key principles involving environmental responsibility good agricultural practices responsible labour practices and legal and social responsibility. A national interpretation of the RTRS standard was approved for Canada in the spring of 2014 and the very first grower group was certified later that year. However with demand for RTRS soybeans growing in Europe and the lack of a Canadian-based certification body Canadian producers have been paying a premium to work with a foreign certification body and foreign inspectors. With support of GFO and other soybean industry stakeholders CSI began the process of becoming an RTRS certification body this year. Today CSIs mission is to provide cost-effective audit inspection and certification services for its agricultural clients. Its history is rooted in the seed industry but CSI has been expanding its services to address the growing needs of its existing client base. Roy Van Wyk Canadian Seed Institute executive director Specialists in powders granular seed and seed treatment products. 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