b'SEED REGULATORY MODERNIZATION: ARE WE NOT THINKING BIG ENOUGH?Industry insiders say recent discussions are focusing too much on making small tweaks, when big-picture changes are whats needed. A stakeholder summit is planned for early 2022.Marc ZienkiewiczSEEDS CANADA SAYSit has identifieddiscussion. The question is, how dostock of whats going on with our a need for additional input concern- you do that, and how do you do itinternational competitors and whats ing stakeholder requirements for aeffectively? We need everybody inchanged with our modern customer future seed system and is initiatingthe virtual room to find that commonbase, Senft said. what it calls a stakeholder summitground.early this year that will bring togetherThe intention behind the summitNeed for Big-Picture Thinkingin a virtual format all value chainwould be to assess the currentSeeds Canadas members-only semi-participants impacted by the Seedsregulatory environment and askannual meeting was held in November Regulations. stakeholders what they need fromand included a member discussion on There is broad agreement that aa modernized seed system inseed regulatory modernization (SRM) review of the regulatory frameworkCanada. These insights will informand also a roundtable with Siddika is required as the last major reviewwhat Seeds Canada calls a SeedMithani, president of the Canadian of the regulatory framework wasRegulatory Modernization Vision andFood Inspection Agency (CFIA). completed in 1996, president Ellenthe regulatory review process. Prior to the meeting, Senft said Sparry says. Discussions will be framed aroundSeeds Canada is concerned that the This is a once-in-a-lifetimethemes addressing key componentsindustry has not yet had the kind of opportunity to look at our Seedsof an innovative, competitive, andbig picture discussions needed to Regulations, to step back and lookend-user-friendly Canadian seedmake significant regulatory change.at something that was developedsystem. Seeds Canada will keepWere concerned about the pro-with the right reasons at the time butstakeholders apprised of summitcess leading up to it, that we havent needs changing to suit our modernplans as they develop, Seeds Canadahad those big picture issues discuss-way of doing business, Sparry said.Executive Director Barry Senft said. ing the vision for what the future of We were challenged at ourI think if we had to do the SRMthe seed industry should look like, semi-annual meeting last fall to haveprocess over again, maybe wed startSenft said.that big-picture, blank slate sort ofwith something like a summit, to takeWe need the big picture laid 4GERMINATION.CAJANUARY 2022'