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 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 6810 Erin Armstrong, director of industry and regulatory affairs for CANTERRA SEEDS also echoes that sentiment. “Our core approach to all parts of our business remains partnerships,” she says. “Even with our growth plans, we remain committed to working with partners in everything we do.” As an example, Armstrong notes the new partnership with Limagrain to form Limagrain Cereals Research Canada (LCRC), for which she serves as the chief executive officer. The part- nership will build upon each other’s research and germplasm for the best new products, according to Armstrong. Syngenta, too, is focused on partnering with governments, academia and NGOs to achieve the goals set forth in its Good Growth Plan by 2020. Through the compilation of data and partnerships, the Syngenta leadership team created six action- able and trackable goals to more sustainably produce food, fuel and fibre in the future, explains Linda Nel, Syngenta Seedcare global product management lead. Leading the Way Like Syngenta did with its Good Growth Plan and an eye on creating change for a better future, Chancey is leading CSGA through two major initiatives that could serve to redefine its role in an industry on the brink of major change. CSGA is conducting its own strategic plan, to define where it is headed and what its role should be. At the same time, CSGA is one of six major seed sector groups taking part in the Seed Synergy project, an ambitious plan to develop a vision for the seed sector in Canada. In other words, Chancey is no stranger to the importance of working with others to achieve common goals, and he says the time is perfect for taking that spirit of collaboration to new heights. “There’s a younger face and a younger attitude that’s more prevalent now,” he says. “There’s always been a balance of people in this industry who focus more on the history of the sector and less on the future, and people who focus on the future and are less concerned with the past. I think the bal- ance between the two has shifted based on conversations I’ve had and where people’s interests lie.” Armstrong adds that much of the conversation regarding the future is focused on value capture or royalty collection, as well as wheat research priorities and the overall Seed Synergy project. As the CSGA’s strategic review and the Seed Synergy project begin to ramp up in 2017 and move into its initial member consultation phase, Chancey prepares to help guide the CSGA board through what could be a challenging but exciting time for the association. According to Von Essen, the same organizational challenges face the ESA as it moves into 2017. It completed its own stra- tegic review in 2015. “One thing at the top of our agenda is the collaboration between different levels of the seed sector organizations,” he says. Those organizations include groups at both the national and international levels, including the International Seed Federation. “We need to look at how we can further improve our collaborations by making use of the latest in information technology, for example,” Von Essen adds. The annual ESA member conference has seen record attend- ance during the past few years, which Von Essen attributes to the seed industry in Europe working together better than ever before. ESA has more than 35 national member associations, from EU Member States and beyond, representing several thousand seed businesses, as well as more than 70 direct company members, including from seed-related industries. “While we do have some consolidation happening, there is very vibrant competition and collaboration that I think explains those increasing numbers,” he says. For Reid, it’s this collaboration between groups that has helped bring SeCan where it is today. SeCan lays claim to hundreds of varieties of cereals, oilseeds, grasses and legumes, and has provided plant breeders with millions in royalties in return. At the time of SeCan’s inception, growers were looking for a good middle ground between the two types of seed distri- bution systems that were prevalent — seed was either doled out by private companies that bought the rights to it, or by government. Both systems had major drawbacks. “The extent to which the big issues are unifying as opposed to being divisive is significant.” — Glyn Chancey