THEBIG4 APOSSIBLEMERGER? HERE’STHESCOOP The boards of the five dedicated seed associations — Canadian Seed Trade Association, Canadian Seed Growers’ Association, Canadian Seed Institute, Commercial Seed Analysts’ Association of Canada and the Canadian Plant Technology Agency — have given preliminary direction to explore a possible merger of those organizations, in addition to a formal alignment with CropLife Canada modelled on the existing CropLife Canada-CSTA Memorandum of Understanding. The intent is to create a streamlined model for information management, advocacy, service provision and provide greater value for the industry’s collective members, and — most importantly — to amplify the impact of the various complementary functions within the Synergy organizations. The temporary “placeholder” name Seeds Canada is being used to reference this hypothetical single organization. ASAPRECURSORTOAPOSSIBLEMERGER OFTHESEFIVEGROUPS,CSIANDCSAACHAVE INDICATEDTHEY’RELOOKINGATEXPLORINGA “PRE-EMPTIVE”MERGERTHEMSELVES. SEEPAGE21FORDETAILS. 14 GERMINATION.CA SEPTEMBER 2018 IN A NUTSHELL, Seed Synergy is about creating a common vision for modernizing the seed system’s relationship with government, and it’s about transforming how the seed industry organizes itself to deliver services, advocate on behalf of members and more. The Seed Synergy partners have been focused on the whole system but in particular the potential impacts of: • Streamlining member services into a Single Window • Plant breeding innovation • Value creation •  Increasing the capabilities of an IT-enabled seed cer- tification system based on enhanced traceability 1. Single Window (or Client/Member Experience) A customer service-oriented means of providing informa- tion and conducting business with seed industry stake- holders: •  Efficient, streamlined and integrated system and processes; • Access to information and services in one place; • Information submitted only once; • One voice. What is meant by “One Voice”? The associations that make up our industry have never worked more closely together than they do today, according to the Seed Synergy partners. In the past, there were times when organizations disagreed on policies in a very public way, making it very difficult to achieve meaningful change. One voice means the sector has one unified position on policies, regulations, legislation and issues. It means when the government consults on changes to the seed regulations, and beyond, the industry will present one unified submission for the betterment of all. Without one voice and industry alignment, it is very easy for the gov- ernment to do nothing. One voice means seed industry consensus and that collective strengths are leveraged to their full potential. A next-generation seed regulatory system could make big changes to these areas of the industry.