b'ITS A NEW AGE OF SEED TESTINGThese five innovators are worth watching as seed labs become more technologically advanced than ever.Marc ZienkiewiczAS FARMERS FACE new challenges froming we have oversight while enabling the pests, diseases, and climate change, theprivate sector to provide testing service. role of seed testing innovators is moreIn this system, private labs representimportant than ever. We put out the callgovernment in performing those tests, for people in the field who are revolu- and governments role is the oversight to tionizing seed testing with cutting-edgeensure quality control and provide tech-techniques, advanced technologies, and anical support of their testing she says.commitment to sustainable practices.Thats something where I think From molecular diagnostics toprivate labs appreciate the government precision sampling methods, these fiverole compared to other countries where pioneers are not only enhancing theprivate labs handle testing, and govern-reliability of seed testing but also pavingment has limited technical support. In the way for a more resilient agriculturalCanada, we prioritize strong support future.from government, so when private labs face challenges, we can work together to Enabling Public-Private Partnerships solve the issues effectively. Ruojing Wang For example, when there are changes Section Head, CFIA Seed Science &in regulation, CFIA and the private Technology Section, Saskatoon Laboratory sector work together on training, par-Saskatoon, Sask. ticularly when it comes to regulated seed identification. This was a major reason Ruojing Wang currently heads upwhy Wang initiated the International Canadas last remaining federal govern- Seed Morphology Association (ISMA). ment laboratory for seed certificationbetween government and private sectorThe ISMA platform publishes its Seed testing and weed seeds analysis. But thislabs as a model for other countries. Identification Guide, interactive digi-isnt a story about a scientist fighting toIve always felt that the governmenttal tools and establishes a database for keep public seed testing services alive.lab plays a critical role because we dontidentifying seeds of weeds, economically Quite the opposite. just conduct our own testing; we alsoimportant and wild plant species.When Wang first joined theenable others, particularly the privateSeed identification has been a key Canadian Food Inspection Agencysector, to do their testing, she says.focus because private labs often lack the (CFIA) in 2006, she was struck byWe started working closely withresources like physical references or the legacy methods that had remainedthe industry to solve shared problems,technical support of taxonomy or botany. unchanged for nearly a century.providing technical support to seed labo- Back in 2009, we started a pilot project I was amazed that for over 100 years,ratories, overseeing them, and collaborat- to generate seed diagnostic images for we hadnt been able to advance our test- ing on the revision and development ofprivate labs, and while they found it ing methods, Wang recalls. But I soonofficial Canadian testing methods. useful, they needed more interactive realized that its not because we lack theThe result is todays seed testing land- training tools. In 2017, we launched will to innovate. Its due to the complex- scape, where private labs conduct the vastISMA which opened the door to global ity involvedquality control, regula- majority of seed testing services and servecollaboration. tions, and taxonomy all play a role. as alternative service providers. Through ISMA, Canadian seed Shes remained undeterred in herMany years ago, we started downtesting officials work with experts from quest to modernize seed testing, and herthis path of gradually transferring seedthe U.S., Australia, Europe and beyond. solution is clear: embracing new busi- testing responsibilities to the privateThey contribute their knowledge to ness models that leverage the talent andsector. However, it wasnt just a handoffISMA publications, giving the seed technology found in the private sector.where CFIA stepped away. CFIA hasindustry better support for seed identifi-She cites Canadas strong relationshippositioned itself as a key player, ensur- cation. 30 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA NOVEMBER 2024'