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 6036 GERMINATION.CA MARCH 2017 WE LIVE IN A time where change is constant. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors on the planet, and with that comes pressure to stay on top of seed testing and related technology. When you consider the development of new varieties that can require specialized testing, the identification and understanding of new diseases which pose significant and economic threats to seed production — not to forget the ever-changing weather patterns that complicate seed qual- ity — it’s a marvel that seed analysts have kept up with this pace. The work seed analysts do is incredibly important. It’s one of the most important disciplines in the indus- try. People are often surprised to learn there’s no formal training program in Canada to become a seed analyst. Seed analysts primarily learn their trade on the job. Seed testing has really been left to its own devices, and this is a concern for the future of the industry itself. I believe that because technology has become hugely important, in some instances it is replacing the human element, unfortunately. This fact alone does not help our A LOT OF different factors are taken into consideration when it comes to selecting a storage, conveying and handling equipment solutions provider, not the least of which is product quality. Quality is important, of course, but something that comes before product quality and includes the expertise and knowledge possessed by the people behind those products and services — a strong commercial team. There are a few key things to look for in a provider’s commercial team. Expertise — Expertise is about more than just having experience; it’s about having the real-world knowledge behind you to know you’re offering the right solutions through storage, conveying and handling equipment. Not only should the team have seen many successes, but a natural part of having expertise means they’ve seen what goes wrong when things aren’t done the right way, so they can prevent problems before they even happen. Resources — One major advantage a good commercial team should have is possession of enough resources in- house to provide great service. Can the commercial team deliver a complete package, or do they have to go and SEED HEALTH & TESTING WHY WE NEED A TRAINING INSTITUTE FOR SEED ANALYSTS Sarah Foster 20/20 Seed Labs President and Senior Seed Analyst @Sarah2020labs • sarah@2020seedlabs.ca • 2020seedlabs.ca cause for establishing a training facility. Regardless, we will need to continue to train and mentor highly skilled ana- lysts, particularly now as we go into a future that is becom- ing more demanding on the knowledge of an analyst. Machines will not replace the skill and dexterity needed to distinguish between the minute details that can make the difference between good- and poor-quality seed. I am encouraged by the Seed Synergy Collaboration Project and the idea that the six seed sector organi- zations are committed to maintaining a viable seed system in Canada. The work done by organizations like the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC) is hugely valuable, and I hope that their mem- bers are mindful of who is teaching our people to do things. There’s no substitute for formal training, and that’s why we need a formal training facility or program for Canadian seed analysts. I would like to set the wheels in motion — let’s make things better for our next generation of seed analysts with new incentives to keep our important industry vital. I am always open to ideas and happy to discuss my thoughts. STORAGE & HANDLING WHAT MAKES A STRONG COMMERCIAL TEAM Terry Friesen Meridian Manufacturing Industrial Sales Manager tfriesen@meridianmfg.com • meridianmfg.com purchase certain pieces of equipment from one provider and other equipment somewhere else? Teamwork — This means the commercial team should be able to work well together to provide the solutions needed. It should be easy for them to pull all the pieces of a project together. All members of the team should be specialists — they should know, for example, what the best cone degree is, the best opening size, type of gauge needed, whatever is needed to make a product flow. Some products, like distiller’s grain, are hard to handle, store and keep moving, while other products can fluidize, causing flooding of your conveyors. Handling seed/grain properly it is not something you want to learn through trial and error, so you want to trust the experts. A good team can advise you not only on what you need now, but what you might need coming down the road. For example, more and more counties and cities require stamped engineered drawings. A strong commer- cial team should have engineering staff that will review the product and make sure it passes all codes and zoning where it’s being shipped to, and make sure it functions properly when it gets there.