50 GERMINATION.CA JULY 2018 CANADA’S NATIONAL OILSEED organizations are reviewing their priorities — and leaving the door open to the possibility of forming a national oilseed council — after losing the financial backing of the nation’s largest agri-business. Winnipeg-based Richardson International announced in January it was pulling funding from the Canola Council of Canada, the Flax Council of Canada and Soy Canada. “They’ve raised some issues that they want to have debated within our organization, so we are doing that,” says Jim Everson, president of the Canola Council. “We have a board- led review underway to ensure that we are fully aligned with the industry and delivering what the whole value chain needs for success. … There will be a variety of approaches in which we reach out to our membership and to other stakeholders. “I think every association is con- stantly required to look at the value proposition that it is providing to its members, and it needs to continue to evolve and keep up with the chang- ing needs of the members,” Everson says. “I think that's something that's happening across associations, and it's a good thing in a sense that a strong organization is always well aligned with its membership." Richardson’s decision to pull funding came after the company had asked the three value chain organiza- tions to consider joining together to form a national oilseed council as a way to increase efficiencies. The idea was discussed by the oilseed groups, but no agreement was reached. “At this point, the Canola Council Richardson International pulled its financial support from the Canola Council of Canada, the Flax Council of Canada and Soy Canada earlier this year. Oilseed groups are weighing a number of options as they look at their funding models. Mark Halsall WHYANATIONALOILSEEDSCOUNCIL MIGHTSTILLBEINTHECARDS board has decided that it wants to stay as it is. It does not want to change the fundamental structure of the organization,” Everson says. He notes the Canola Council hasn’t ruled out the notion of a national oilseed council entirely, but it’s something that requires further examination. “I think the industry is interested in the concept of how the various stakeholders can work together. … Whether that's formally as an oilseed council, bringing everyone together in a single organization, or whether that is finding different ways of work- ing together to be efficient and to develop good outcomes is another question,” says Everson. “I think that the concept of a national oilseed council needs to be more thoroughly discussed.” Everson wouldn’t say how much