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 6852 CSAAC MEMBERS HELP MENTOR SEED GRADERS CSAAC ACCREDITED SEED ANALYSTS are not the only people who test and grade seed in Canada. Some of the work is done by accredited seed graders. There are three types of seed graders in Canada. A GB Grader is accredited to retrieve, classify and report impurities (they perform a physical seed purity test), review a germination report and assign a grade name on crop kinds from Grade Tables I to VI and XVIII. A GD grader is accredited to review Reports of Seed Analysis issued by accredited laboratories to assign a Canada pedigreed grade name. A Seed Import Conformity Assessor (SICA) is accredited to assess whether imported seed meets the minimum standards of the Seeds Regulations based on a review of Reports of Seed analysis and other documentation. In order to gain the qualifications listed above, candidates must pass practical examinations set out by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and a written theory evaluation administered by the Canadian Seed Institute (CSI). Candidates wishing to become a SICA must pass practical exams set out by the CFIA. Sound complicated? Well, it can be. That is why CSAAC members and CSI staff have teamed up to provide valuable courses to help new graders train to perform the work and prepare for the evaluations. The knowledgeable CSI staff guide students through all aspects of grading, from tags and documentation to sampling and filling out grading reports. CSAAC seed analysts prepare and maintain training samples, train on weed and crop seed identification, and mentor the candidates on retrieval skills. Attendees leave the course with a better understanding of their responsi- bilities under the Seeds Act, the Seeds Regulations, and the Weed Seeds Order. The course takes two days and students can apply ahead of time to be a candidate to write all or portions of the exam. The practical exam normally takes about a half-day to write. The CSI written exam can be done at home and mailed in for marking. The CSI keeps these courses as current as possible and practical hands-on experience working with the accred- ited seed analysts is an invaluable asset for any career in the seed industry. For information on the course availability, check out the CSI website at: csi-ics.com/canadian-seed-institute. For information on the general structure of the various parts of the evaluations, refer to the Guide to Evaluation of Candidate Seed Graders and Seed Import Conformity Assessors on the CFIA website at: www.inspection.gc.ca/ plants/seeds/testing-grading/candidate-s-guide/eng/1377 363765109/1377363964670?chap=1. Morgan Webb and Morgan Saumer,  two of the many CSAAC members who help with Canadian Seed Institute Grader Courses.