b'PUTTING CANADA MAPON THEFor Ellen Sparry and Seeds Canada, whats happening around the board table now will help create future success in the seed world.Marc ZienkiewiczWHEN ELLEN SPARRYthinks back to January of 2021, she remembers an industry landscape that was much differ-ent than it is now. At the time, the seed sector in Canada was comprised of five industry associations, with Sparry herself serving as president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA).Fast-forward to today, and that number has gone from five to two, and Sparry finds herself president of Seeds Canada, which marked its one-year anniversary earlier this year.It was on Feb. 1, 2021, that Seeds Canada formed as a result of the amalgamation of the CSTA, Canadian Seed Institute, Canada Plant Technology Agency and Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada.The last number of months have been unique because of the ongoing pandemic and not getting together face-to-face in one room, but I think that the benefit of bringing those four associations together and having all those different voices in the room has been apparent even on a virtual level, says Sparry, who also serves as general manager of Ontarios C&M Seeds.Leading a 15-person board isnt easy, but Sparry has risen to the challenge. After the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) voted not to join Seeds Canada back in late 2020, she acknowledged that getting things done might take a little longer without having everybody together under one umbrella, but she was confident Seeds Canada and its members had the resolve to move ahead.Over a year later, her prediction has come true.The Seeds Canada board structure is very forward thinking. Having people involved in all areas of the seed sector from a developer, distributor, retailer, seed testing aspect has really brought increased strength and depth to our discussions at the board table, she says. Sparry will serve a second year as president before passing the torch in 2023. Seeds Canadas 2022 annual meeting, taking place in Winnipeg this month, will be the first opportunity for Seeds Canada members to formally Ellen Sparry joined C&Mget together in person since the organizations formation, Seeds in 1994 as geneticsshe notes.manager for the companysJust getting everyone in a room together is going R&D program. She assumedto be significant. Its those in-person conversations that the role of general manager in 2015. Photo by Ema Suvajacreally help you work through those big issues and help Photography you determine where youre headed as an organization, Sparry says.18GERMINATION.CAJULY 2022'