The Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) has achieved a major milestone — becoming the first ag association in Canada to earn certification from Ag Data Transparent (ADT), a U.S.-based nonprofit that verifies companies’ commitment to farm data privacy and transparency.
ADT was born out of farmer concerns dating back to 2014, when cloud-based platforms began storing sensitive on-farm data. In response, a coalition of U.S. commodity groups created a set of guiding principles for ethical data use.
ADT Administrator Todd Janzen, working closely with the American Farm Bureau and others, proposed turning those principles into a certifiable standard. ADT launched in 2015, offering a rigorous, public-facing certification process — now 11 questions long — that companies can undergo to prove their transparency.
For CSGA, which is aspiring to take on an expanded role in Canada’s seed certification landscape, the timing couldn’t be better.
“CSGA is a trusted steward of Canada’s seed crop certification, and over the years, we have also become a technology platform provider,” says Doug Miller, executive director of CSGA. “Achieving ADT certification places us alongside industry leaders like John Deere, Solio Agriculture, and AgExpert (Farm Credit Canada) — a recognition that reflects the care we take in managing the data entrusted to us by seed growers and partners.”
Unlike traditional legal agreements buried in fine print, a clear data use policy gives users confidence in how their information will be treated. And in a world increasingly defined by headlines about data breaches and misuse, that confidence is worth its weight in gold, Janzen says.
“When you’re asking farmers and seed growers to entrust you with sensitive data, it’s crucial to back that request with strong guarantees,” he adds.
For CSGA, it’s another step in a larger effort to modernize and elevate its role in Canada’s evolving seed system — and a reminder that in agriculture, just like in the tech world, trust is everything.
Certification also advances CSGA’s Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) priorities, Miller added, including enhanced data sharing between partners and regulators, streamlined digital certification processes, and a regulatory framework that aligns with the practical needs of farmers and seed businesses.
“Through the SRM process, stakeholders have made it crystal clear — they want transparency into how data is collected, stored, and used. This certification is a tangible response to that call, helping foster a more trusted and effective seed system.”
