b'ment was able to balance CanadianWinall Hi-tech Seed, which developstional cooperation mechanisms for interests and sell grain to China as itwatermelon, melon, wheat, pumpkinseed industries; strengthen collabora-suffered through its greatest famine,and vegetable seeds. tive breeding at the field level; and against objections from the U.S. China has been working tostimulate collaboration among market The fear that we have over dam- revamp its seed industry as ofentities, thereby encouraging com-aging our relationship with the U.S. islate. The Global Conference onpanies to invest in modern breeding constant, but weve managed to findGreen Development of Seedsystems.a middle ground in the past whereIndustries, organized by the FoodChina is also planning a regula-we could stand up to them and pro- and Agriculture Organization oftory overhaul of its seed rules, in tect our economic interests. Its hardthe United Nations (FAO), was heldorder to help pave the way for the work, but it can be done, Dade says. virtually on Nov. 5. Zhang Taolin,approval of new GMO crops.Canada will need to do so if itsvice-minister of Agriculture and RuralWe have a system where private going to capitalize on the innovationsAffairs of China, was invited to thesector actorsnot governments, coming out of China, of which thereconference and delivered a videopoliticians or pollingdetermine appear to be many. Syngenta CEOspeech. trade realities, Dade adds.Erik Fyrwald was recently quoted byZhang said that China, a majorWhen it comes to trade, we can Fortune magazine noting that someplayer in agriculture and a large seedtrust China about as much as we can 75% of the worlds patents in agri- consumer, has always attached greattrust the United States. Fact is, the cultural gene editing are coming outimportance to the development ofU.S. has a longer and harsher history of China and China is not only aseed industries, and has adopted aof being underhanded with Canada player in the field but has become aseries of effective measures to pro- on trade than does China, and we clear leader in this area. mote green development and ensurejust signed a new trade deal with Syngenta Seeds sales grew 25 perfarmers access to quality seeds,Washington. So if we can manage cent to $2.8 billion in the first nineaccording to a Chinese governmentone, we should be able to manage months of 2021. Syngentas field cropnews release. the other. sales in China tripled due to theZhang put forth three proposals: consolidation and growth of Chinasstep up efforts in building interna-JANUARY 2022 GERMINATION.CA 17'