b'Focus on the FutureFor these giants of the global seed business, the key to succeeding in a post-pandemic world is setting ambitious goals and concentrating on accomplishing them. Marc Zienkiewicz, Sonja Begemann, Marcel Bruins and Alex Martin ELLEN SPARRY HAShad a busy year, to say the least. If anything defined 2021, it was just thata need for align-On Feb. 1, 2021, Canadas new national seed organizationment. Whether it was a world struggling to harmonize a patch- Seeds Canadawent live. Made up of four amalgamatingwork of travel protocols that saw some countries shun certain partnersthe Canadian Seed Trade Association, Commercialvaccines, or a budding energy crisis that saw fuel costs begin Seed Analysts Association of Canada, Canadian Seed Instituteto skyrocket, the year was a roller coaster that left many trying and Canadian Plant Technology AgencySparry agreed toto steer their business through turbulent waters while doing the serve as president to lead the board into uncharted waters. basic business of seed.Uniting a large chunk of Canadas seed industry under oneThe major challenges, regardless of the pandemic, are high banner had been talked about for many years, but never saw thequality seed production, intellectual property protection and light of day until now. [increasing] innovation, says May Kanokwan Chodchoey, execu-Discussions have gone on for over a decade. I think it wastive director of the Asia-Pacific Seed Association (APSA).2009 when it first came up, so it has been a goal for quite aUltimately, seed companies across the Asia-Pacific region while. For a long time, we were a somewhat fractured industry,need the tools and framework to provide high-quality seed to says Sparry, who serves as general manager for Ontarios C&Mfarmers. This means greater genetic improvement, achieved Seeds. through research and The amalgamation of the four partners comes at an impor- development. APSA tant time in the countrys history, as efforts are underway tolooks to enable the modernize both Canadas seed regulatory system and novelseed industry to food regulations. The desire to lobby for itself as a unitedmake improve-industryto speak with a single voicewas a major driv- ments for farmer ing factor in the formation of Seeds Canada. customerssome-We knew from meeting with government over the yearsthing even more chal-that we needed to get ourselves better aligned. We now havelenging than usual in a over 200 members from all areas of the industry under onepandemic.roofseed analysts, plant breeders, distributors, producers and many others, Sparry says.16/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2021'