b'A NEW TOOL HELPING YOU IN THE REALM OF RETAIL SEED SALES.A DETAILED LOOK AT THE NSOThe design of the proposed National Seed Organization is final. We asked three key players about how it will work and how it could benefit you.Marc ZienkiewiczAs someone who fleshed out the final designMaintain broad representation and of the proposed National Seed Organizationauthority for members;(NSO), give us a quick snapshot of why we areEnhance member experience through finally here and looking at this. a single window for support;The Seed Synergy White Paper identifiedEliminate unnecessary duplication and Chris Loreto several potential areas of focus for theredundancies;Principal NSO and anticipated the benefits of col- Focus services and resources on maxi-StrategyCorp lectively working together through a singlemizing value for members;Chris specializes in providingorganization. Those are:Improve the ability to engage and clients with advice on Update the delivery of novel prod- influence regulators and stakeholders;public policy development,ucts regulations for plant breeding Maintain and expand capability public-private partnershipsinnovation; to deliver on delegated regulatory (P3s), alternative service I mplement a Seed Variety Useauthorities;delivery (ASD), strategic andAgreement (SVUA) system for Balance advocacy and representation business planning, strategicIP-protected seeds; with service and regulatory mandates;procurement, capital projectsStreamline the Seeds RegulationsIncrease focus and capacity for profes-development and delivery,requirements and modernize thesional development across the seed sector.and stakeholder engagement.regulatory framework;Along with other members ofDefine a new industry delivery modelSo give us the 411what will the NSO look like?StrategyCorp, he worked withfor the seed certification program; It will deliver 36 essential services. All the Seed Synergy OversightCreate a Single Window for all seedoriginal services will be kept on Day 1. We Committee to design theregulatory and member services; want to ensure continuity and an unin-National Seed Organization Create a more efficient and effectiveterrupted flow of services. As the Single proposal and has beenindustry organizational model. Window evolves, there may be opportuni-presenting it at recent industrySome of these will be achieved throughties to integrate some of the 36 services, meetings. the creation of the NSO, like the Singleretire some, or create new ones. Window. Others will be the responsibilityThe wide range of services offered by of the NSO once its up and running. Theseeach of the five founding seed organizations outcomes are intended to make the industryhave been consolidated into draft core ser-more competitive in that global marketplace. vice categories, or Functional Groups. External Relations (including govern-How did you go about this? ment relations)In order to get to a target operating modelMember and Client Services (including for the NSO, we worked with the Seedprofessional development and training)Synergy Oversight Committee and the Seed CertificationSeed Synergy partners to come up with Policy (including IP policy)a set of design principles rooted in the S ystems Integration (including IP vision of the White Paper which wouldenforcement)guide us in thinking through the design ofThe NSO will have three membership the NSO. This resulted in eight key focusclasses, the first of which has voting rights areas or design principles: within the NSO. 18GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2020'