Leadership change, regulatory modernization, and innovation top the agenda for the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association.

After 15 years with the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) — including the past five as executive director — Doug Miller has announced he will be stepping down, marking the end of a significant chapter for both the organization and Canada’s seed sector.

In a podcast interview with Seed World Canada this past Monday, Miller described the decision as deeply personal and far from easy. “When you spend 15 years with any organization, it speaks to how great of a place it is,” he said, pointing to CSGA’s staff, board, and members as key reasons the role felt like home.

Miller’s tenure has coincided with some of the most consequential changes in Canadian seed policy in decades, most notably seed regulatory modernization (SRM). While acknowledging that stepping away before the work is fully complete is difficult, Miller expressed confidence in the organization’s direction and leadership. CSGA, he noted, has established a clear vision — one that positions the association as a trusted, industry-led certification body and a central administrator within a modernized regulatory framework.

“The vision doesn’t change,” Miller said. “It’s the same message, just a different person delivering it.”

Reflecting on his time at CSGA, Miller highlighted a common misunderstanding about the organization’s role. While often viewed simply as a grower group, CSGA is, at its core, a certification body that co-regulates with the Government of Canada to deliver seed certification — a critical public-good service. Clarifying and communicating that value has been a major focus of his leadership.

Looking ahead, Miller sees opportunity amid change across the Canadian seed sector, including new leadership at Seeds Canada and ongoing discussions around public plant breeding, innovation funding, and global trade pressures. Addressing these challenges, he said, will require collaboration across agriculture to ensure Canadian farmers continue to have access to strong, locally adapted genetics.

As he prepares to step aside, Miller emphasized gratitude — for the people, the relationships, and the chance to serve a sector he never expected to call home. “I’ve been talking to people across this country about seed who I consider friends,” he said. “If I’ve helped leave the organization in a better place than I found it, then I’m proud of that.”