Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60OUTGOINGCanadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) presi- dent Scott Horner knows as well as anyone how important it is for the seed industry to have a roadmap for the future. The pastoral view of the red hip-roofed barn, 100 acres with 10 cows, 20 chick- ens and five pigs is a romantic view of agriculture, but it’s not accurate today and it’s doing a disservice to the industry, he notes. It distracts from the reality of today’s advanced farming systems and the demand for low-cost, nutritious food and sustainable production. Combatting such misnomers is important for agriculture and the future of Canada’s seed sector. In a recent survey conducted by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, only 29 per cent of those interviewed felt farmers are good stewards of the land. Yet the reality is we have never farmed more sustainably than we do today, and we need to tell that story better, he says. “Where do we want the industry to go, and what do we need to do to get there?” Horner asks over the phone from his office in Coaldale, Alta. Drawing that “roadmap” for the future was the task at the CSTA annual meeting held in Vancouver, B.C., in early July. Two-hundred delegates came together to talk about seed, where the industry is and where it’s headed. Tackling such a big topic during a three-day conference is no doubt difficult, but necessary considering how many changes are afoot for the Canadian seed industry. Next Big Step Delegates acknowledged recent developments within the industry that Horner says signal it is headed in the right direction, such as recent legislation that favours plant breeders rights. “Last year, we had UPOV 91, passed through Bill C-18, and there were immedi- ate results,” Horner says. UPOV, or the International Union for the Protection The Canadian Seed Trade Association’s annual meeting looked ahead at what’s coming down the pipe for one of the country’s most important industries. 36 MAPPING OUT the Future of Seed