b'MEETING OF THE MINDSTwo of the seed industrys biggest names come together to talk about their vision for the future of our regulatory system, what they want to change, and how they can work together.Marc ZienkiewiczGERMINATION RECENTLY SATdown with two very important people in the seed industryCanadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) Executive Director Doug Miller and Seeds Canada Executive Director Barry Senft. We talked about a huge issue they both find themselves at the fore-front ofSeed Regulatory Modernization (SRM). A conversation a long time in the making, we dis-cussed their visions for the future and areas of common ground between the two organizations. The discussion is presented here in an edited form for length. Do we need regulation to ensure seed quality?Barry Senft: The simple answer to that is yes, of course we do. When organizations ask for the regulations to be reviewed, people might suggest, companies just want the system deregulated. From a Seeds Canada perspective, that isnt the case at all. We want regulations there as a guardrail and to allow innovation to occur. Having beenBarry Senft, Seeds Canada executive director.chief commissioner at the Canadian Grain Commission, I know the importance of having common sense regula-tions in place for the industry. Doug Miller: Thats an interesting question, but Im not sure its the right question. Let me put it to you this way. Do we need regulation to ensure car quality? Technically, no. A company isnt going to try to put out a bad car; its bad for business. But quality doesnt mean the same thing to all people and seed quality is no different. A regula-tory framework provides buyers with trust and confidence in what theyre buying, and trust is really key here. At CSGA, our vision for the future is one based on trust; that Canadian producers have trust and confidence in the seed that theyre planting. We need a modern seed system that adapts quickly to change, creates a level playing field for all stakeholders, is able to deliver new technology, and is transparent and science based. Seed regulation isnt just about quality; its about trust in that quality. Doug Miller, CSGA executive director.14GERMINATION.CAJULY 2022'