48 GERMINATION.CA JANUARY 2018 SINCE 2010, Canada has spearheaded efforts to provide clarity and trans- parency around the issue of low-level presence (LLP) of genetically modi- fied crop material in imported grain, food and feed The 2016 publication by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) of a policy model for the management of this low-level presence is a milestone in the movement toward a risk-man- agement approach to resolving LLP situations, while placing Canada at the forefront of LLP policy development. “Publishing Canada’s LLP in grain policy model is a world-leading step,” says Ian Affleck, CropLife Canada’s executive director of plant biotech- nology. “We took a stance. We said, ‘This is what we will put forward — who wants to come with us?’ I don’t think any other country had put something like that together in such a way. It was a real benefit to Canada to take that leadership step.” Currently, Affleck says, Canada is consulting global partners ready to move forward with domestic and international discussions on LLP man- agement, adoption of similar policy, as well as policy implementation. Now, with LLP in grain policy on firmer footing, has the time come for industry stakeholders to move ahead on LLP in seed policy develop- ment? Not quite yet, says Dave Carey, executive director of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA). “The grain LLP policy has to play out first,” says Carey. “Especially when you start getting into what the allowable levels are, because if you created [a policy] for seed that wasn’t applicable to grain, or if you set the threshold too low or too high, that would really impact the grain trade.” Additionally, although Canada may figure prominently, discussions on policy development for LLP in seed will play out at an international level, and will be housed with the International Seed Federation (ISF) and the Seed Association of the Americas (SAA), says Carey. “It’s the CSTA’s perspective that we have a leadership role to play, but really the ones driving the conversa- tion are ISF and SAA. That’s inten- tional, so that the CSTA, AAFC, and Canadian Food Inspection Agency aren’t all having these conversations in a bubble.” Meanwhile, the American Seed Trade Association and European With a low-level presence policy in grain gaining traction, is it time to move ahead with seed LLP policy development? Kari Belanger DOWENEEDANLLP POLICYFORSEED? Dave Carey is executive director of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. Ian Affleck is CropLife Canada’s executive director of plant biotechnology. Seed Association are also having their own conversations. “ISF needs to bring it up to that higher level,” says Carey. And ISF has some clout. The international organization can bring many seed associations and industry stakeholders to the table from around the world to discuss LLP in seed policy. For example, 70 countries were represented at ISF’s midterm meetings in Montreal, Que., held last October, at which LLP in seed was on the agenda. In September, the sixth Seed Congress of the Americas held in Cartagena, Colombia, also tabled some time to discuss the issue. Tasked with reporting back to the Canadian government and AAFC’s Seed Sector Value Chain Roundtable about the bigger international conver- sations taking place at these meetings