b'THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE ADD VALUE, NOT COSTS.Todd HyraAs a grower and retailer, how will a singleto change. I believe we have the right national seed organization benefit you? people around the table and most people TOM GREAVES (TG): It really does get rid ofcan see the net benefit at the end of the the overlap. As a seed grower I belong today. We need to be focused and flexible CSGA and as a retailer I belong to CSTA.as a group in building this.Tom Greaves We face the same challenges, so bringing President, Pitura Seeds us together makes sense. Can you think of an example youve seen Tom obtained his diploma inthat made you feel encouraged that a single agriculture at the University ofERIC MCLEAN (EM): The biggest thing isnational organization will become a reality?Manitoba in 2001. With manyindustry cooperation. I look at this fromTG: It hit home for me this year when we years of experience in thea grassroots perspective. It will hope- were at the national meeting in Whistler, agriculture field, he has heldfully lead to reduced operating costs andB.C., having the gala dinner night with roles in quality control andincreasing funds available to advanceeveryone in the same room. There were plant management.seed industry initiatives. Having a joint500 people together and everyone had annual meeting between CSGA and CSTA,the same goal of bringing the industry for exampleby doing that, we bring atogether and moving it forward. It was so broad section of people together to solvegratifying to see 500 people with the same issues and have everyone in the room atgoals moving in the same direction.the same time, so we dont have to guess what others are thinking. EM: I agree with Tom. To be able to have a venue to bring everyone together like Eric McLean What are the biggest challenges you see usthat, thats how our associations began in Seed grower and retailer having in building the national organizationthe first place. A few years ago, CSGA and Eric is a seed grower andand how can we overcome them? CSTA held their annual meetings sepa-retailer in Oak River, Man., andEM: Theres a sentiment of us versusrately. Its so nice when the meetings are operates J.S. Henry & Sonthem. How will we do it, who will run it?held together, you bump into colleagues Ltd. He describes himself as aIt can be scary, which is natural when youand really get a sense of community. The husband, father, brother, son,build something new, but at the end of themore time we spend together like that, the farmer, businessman, andday we have to keep fighting that fear andmore a single national organization makes proud seed grower for manymoving forward like we are doing.sense. farmers in western Manitoba.TG: We have lots of history and legacy tied up in these five associations, and that means we have a lot of proudWatch our entire Retail Roundtable webinar on people around the table. Thing is,this topic! Visit germination.ca/how-do-we-pride can sometimes make us resistantbuild-a-single-national-seed-organization/SUPPORTED BY: ENDORSED BY:24GERMINATION.CA NOVEMBER 2019'