b'Doug Miller WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?Executive Director, Canadian Seed Growers AssociationThis winter, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is planning to hold its second consultation. Its going to be quite like the previous one, From my perspective, the reports findings are a true reflec- where CFIA updated seed industry stakeholders on the progress of tion of what weve heard from stakeholders and what the SRMthe SRM task teams. However, this time around, the CFIA will focus on working group participants have been saying throughout thedifferent aspects, according to Wendy Jahn, national manager of the SRM process so far.CFIA Seed Section. It was heartening to hear that many of the crucial positionsThe first consultation covered the initial three task teamswe advocated for were recommended or endorsed during thevariety registration, seeds standards and grade tables, and seed consultation. Its important to clarify that this isnt a CFIA report but rather a compilation by CFIA of stakeholder feed- certification. Now, theyre shifting their attention to the remaining back. This distinction is crucial as we move forward. task team recommendations and some working group suggestions The report highlights strong support for variety registra- theyve received.tion. I urge everyone to delve into the report, as it identifiesThe topics for discussion will include common seed, testing and the common themes from participant feedback, which is invaluableimport and export of seed. CFIA has also recently initiated the last in understanding the nuances. task teamthe Information task teamwhich has been underway One pivotal question for CSGA was whether there shouldsince mid-November. Depending on their progress, CFIA might be a single body responsible for setting standards and issuinginclude some recommendations from them as well, Jahn says. crop certificates. This is a role traditionally held by CSGA for over 120 years. Its gratifying to see that the task team sup- Once this consultation is complete, and the CFIA has conducted its ported this recommendation. Having clarity on this key issueanalysis, it will have a clearer sense of the direction it is heading in, suggests its time to conclude that chapter. Lets shift our focusJahn says. to unresolved issues within the SRM process where consensus and sector support are lacking.In 2024, we intend to release a policy paper outlining our findings. Were keen on obtaining input on this paper, and were exploring the possibility of a cross-country tour. The idea is to visit Wendy Jahn different provinces, bring stakeholders together, and engage in National Manager, discussions. So, before reaching a final decision, there will be several CFIA Seed Section opportunities for input and discussion.The task team process that led to the recommendations in the survey involved 130 stakeholder volunteers who contrib-uted their expertise. Upon analysis, these recommendations were categorized into 41 major changes28 suggestions acknowledging the current systems efficacy, and 21 incrementalTo read the What We Heard report, visit germination.ca/what-we-heard-2023improvements. While the current system working well might seem like status quo, its a positive affirmation that the seed system is already effective. We are open to substantive change. That said, we dont want to revolutionize everything if it isnt needed. We want to ensure that we have a seed system that works for the future.38GERMINATION.CAJANUARY 2024'