b'A relationship with Canada would also allowvariety developers finding the ACR option useful reciprocal recognition of seed certificates. Indeed,for unique trait verification.trade facilitation was the primary ICIA objective. It was all about creating, says Preater, internationally- Opportunities on the Horizonrecognized minimum equivalent standards forGoing forward, the organization is well positioned seed certification that would allow seed to moveto take advantage of new situations. One of these smoothly across the border. A few decades later,is the advent of CRISPR and other gene editing AOSCA variety review boards were created, whichadvancements. developed uniqueness eligibility requirements (suchIt could be huge for small- and medium-as distinct, uniform and stable) for varieties enteringenterprise (SME) variety developers, says Preater. seed certification programs, a vital identity assur- Many in agriculture predict these breakthroughs in ance function provided in Canada by the CSGA andgenetics could lead to more opportunities for SME the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). seed industry innovators. This change could defi-A significant step on the communication frontDale Adolphe is anitely increase the number of variety developers was taken in 1955, when ICIA members attendedprevious CSGA executiveinterested in seed certification services for varietal a CSGA annual meeting for the first time.director and servedidentity verification, additional certification require-It meant a lot, Preater says. It was the for- AOSCA for almost 15ments and other new services from AOSCA.ging of relationships that would be important atyears, including as boardBut whether its genetic techniques or other all times, but critical in a crisis.president. industry developments, the fact that AOSCA members can act independently to the needs of Adaptation to Change their local markets is a definite strength. If relationships have been essential to AOSCAsWe have 50 member organizations across success, so has been the willingness to evolveeight countries, says Bill Foote, current AOSCA as the seed industry has evolved. One exampleboard president of the North Carolina Crop of this, in the view of Dale Adolphe, a previousImprovement Association. That means a lot of CSGA executive director who served in AOSCAcollective knowledge. This amount of experience is for almost 15 years, occurred when private planta real bonus. breeding in the United States. started up andHowever, Boruff says that across the board we companies began branding their varieties insteadneed to continue to build the next generation of of certifying them.this industry. Experience and historic knowledge Certification agencies in some states struggledare very important, but we also need to get the to stay alive, Adolphe says. Among other options,word out that there are fascinating careers in this these state agencies looked at certification ofindustry and attract talented young people.organic, non-GMO and insect refuge management.Bill Foote of the NorthIn terms of current directions, Foote is of the To foster these new areas of certification, AOSCACarolina Cropview that AOSCA should expand current services hired a full-time executive director, Chet Boruff, andImprovementwhile adding new ones. that has seemed to work well. Association serves asWe do a lot of counter-season multiplication of As the seed industry became more global,AOSCA president. seed, and there is growth there for all countries, he AOSCA again adapted. In 2004, its governancesays. AOSCA needs to keep its eyes open for non-model was restructured from a board made uptraditional certification opportunities that might of all its member agencies to a board with twocome up, such as auditing and verifying acreages. members from each of the four regions, one beingWe need to ask seed producers what else they international.need, while maintaining our traditional services. When variety developers wanted verificationBecause traceability and transparency in the standards beyond the minimum certification stand- food system has never been a bigger issue, Boruff ards, AOSCA added an Additional Certificationbelieves AOSCAs services will continue to be in Requirement (ACR). This scheme allows optionsdemand. from increased isolation distance or previous landGene editing is very exciting and will lead use standards to post-harvest seed testing require- to changes we cant even imagine, Boruff says. ments. Recent specific ACR examples in the U.S.Consolidations are happening in the industry, which include increased isolation distance certificationis a concern, but, new crops such as industrial hemp requirements for the only white-flowering, higher- and new companies of all types are also entering the protein crimson clover.industry.In Canada, ACR examples include the unprece- Keeping up with the pace of change is not easy, dented protocols required to certify varietal blendsRandy Preater is ahe concludes, and the pace is likely only to increase. of midge-tolerant wheat varieties.special adviser to theBut I believe, as they always have, AOSCA and its In the future, as genetic testing becomes moreCanadian Seed Growersmember agencies will keep up.SWaffordable and cost effective, Preater can see someAssociation.SEPTEMBER 2019SEEDWORLD.COM /55'