JULY 2017 GERMINATION.CA 17 1980 1990 1995 1997 2000 2010 2016 2020 2030 The Canadian seed industry begins its Seed Synergy Collaboration Project, which aims to develop a vision for a next- generation seed system in Canada. The Canadian Seed Institute is formed. protect the integrity of certified seed so that seed labelled with the CFIA’s blue tag continues to be the symbol of qual- ity to agricultural producers.” Despite having to fill an important industry need back in the 1990s, CSI’s survival as an organization was far from guaranteed. There were only so many pedigreed seed facilities in Canada in need of its core services, and audits are only done every two years, sometimes every four years. This drove its leadership to find new ways of earning revenue to keep CSI viable and relevant. So, CSI has expanded into other areas that go beyond certified seed. “Jim had a very sharp mind for ISO and quality management sys- tems, and it came to him instinctively. Around 2001, he started working with the Canadian Grain Commission to help them develop a quality manage- ment and food safety system for the grain handling industry in Canada, and they were very successful in developing the identity preservation and food safety programs delivered today,” van Wyk notes. “Our own auditors are deliver- ing those programs as well today. As things began to progress and the CSI board saw these other agricul- ture services helped to round off CSI’s business, they began to add on other programs. We looked beyond seed into all agriculture in Canada in trying to deliver cost effective audit- ing and inspection services.” In 2003, CSI started delivering inspection services for the organic food industry in Canada, driven by clients selling seed into Europe. Today, CSI is more relevant than ever, according to McCullagh. “The culture at CSI is one of constant environmental scanning to identify new opportunities that come forward for it to use its assets in dif- ferent industry sectors,” he says. For van Wyk, CSI’s role is a fun- damental one that will only become more important in a market-driven industry that’s becoming increasingly competitive with other nations. “We’re at an interesting time for the seed industry. Alternative service delivery of seed crop inspection may be the straw that broke the camel’s back. It added an extra layer of cost to the industry and got everyone talking more about reducing the costs of seed crop production and seed certification,” van Wyk says. “I think the CSI model is very rele- vant. Our membership and board rep- resent a broad spectrum of the seed industry and the services we deliver are affordable and cost effective by design. We are certainly a model to look at as we consider future changes in the seed industry.” Release of the first herbicide- tolerant canola variety.