60 GERMINATION.CA MARCH 2019 CSTA / SEEDINNOVATION.CA / ENGAGING POLICYMAKERS REMAINS A CRUCIAL TASK all of them offer the same reliable, science-based informa- tion policymakers need. Talking in one-on-one meetings helps establish a rapport with government so that in the future, if they have a question or aren’t sure who to ask about matters that could pertain to seed or agriculture, they can turn to us for helpful information. Often they need that information when they least expect it. In politics, situations can arise unexpectedly and people who craft policy may need information in a hurry. That information can make all the difference when it comes to important decisions that get made at the fed- eral level. As an organizer, it was exciting to have the board members report back, animated about the meaningful conversations they had. We learned a great deal about what our elected officials and regulators need from us. I look forward to continuing the conversation over the fol- lowing months and years. SENATOR DEACON’S description of seeds as the earth’s first microchip is a great way to describe what is essentially a tiny blueprint for life, containing all the elements needed to grow a plant that gets turned into food, fibre or fuel. Senator Deacon tweeted this right after meeting with two members of CSTA’s Board of Directors as part of our annual Lobby Day on Feb. 5. #SeedsOnTheHill19 was a great success, with a total of 26 meetings taking place between CSTA board members and federal policymakers. The tweet was an example of our mes- sage resonating with someone outside our industry, a person who spends their day crafting policy that affects Canadians in their day-to-day lives. Our annual Lobby Day is incred- ibly valuable for our industry and communicates to policymakers what the role of seed is, helps them be informed about our industry and establishes important relationships that can pay dividends down the road. Major topics this year included value creation and plant breeding innovation. The meetings we plan also allow our members to become engaged in new ways. It’s not every day you get to sit down with an MP to discuss what you do for a living and why it mat- ters. While Lobby Day is something we do with the board, we do provide resources through our Sow the Seeds initiative for any member wishing to set up a meeting with their local MP or other representative. We all know our story well, but decision-makers might not know how integral seed is to Canada and the world. It’s becoming more important to establish yourself as a reputable source of information. There’s a mul- tiplicity of voices out there, and not #SEEDSONTHEHILL19:26OPPORTUNITIES TOHELPCRAFTGOODPOLICY Lauren Martin, CSTA Government and Industry Relations Coordinator To see photos and updates from our 2019 Lobby Day just enter the hashtag #SeedsOnTheHill19 into the Twitter search box!