b'A NEW TOOL HELPING YOU IN THE REALM OF RETAIL SEED SALES.DO WE NEED REGULATION TOENSURE SEED QUALITY?We find out from three experts about the intricacies of the most important policy initiative happening right now: Seed Regulatory Modernization. Whats the latest, what do they feel should change and when will it be finished?Marc ZienkiewiczAS PART OFthe much-publicizedSarah, you serve on one of the eight task teams formed to help process known as Seed Regulatoryguide the SRM process. How is it going?Modernization (SRM), the CanadianThe Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has given Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)us a wonderful opportunity to express and voice our is looking to update the Seedsopinions and concerns about modernizing certain parts Regulations to: Sarah Foster of the seed regulatory system. Theres been a number of -Protect producers and consumersPresident,discussions that Im not able to speak about, but I canby strengthening existing20/20 Seedtell you that weve been received extremely well as an requirements Labs industry by CFIA. Theres a definite desire to work with -I mprove responsiveness andall industry players in terms of modernizing our system. consistency-Reduce complexity As a seed analyst, what is one major area youd like to see - Become adaptable and flexible tomodernized?function in the modern, Most people working in the seed industry are probably fast-changing world very familiar with the grade tables. There are 22 of them But how can we accomplish thesewhich represent 186 crop kinds. All seed thats sold in things by updating the regulations?Canada, particularly pedigreed seed and common seed How can regulatory change lead tofor that matter, has to be tested and we use these grade these outcomes, and how is seedtables in order to establish a standard. Canada is very quality impacted? unique in that were the only country that actually has these great tables. Although they appear complicated, and to some extent they are, they do offer us a comprehen-sive way of looking at seed standards and being able to give the customer some protection and some confidence. The conversation thats going on right now is about how we can we take these grade tables out of regulation and incorporate them by reference for making faster changes going forward.On the world stage, Canada has extremely high stand-ards. With SRM, we want to maintain a purity thats higher or equal to international standards, and we do not want to lose that. This is where Canada really shines. We have a very robust system, but we could, in fact, actually strengthen it a lot more. Theres so much trust in the blue certified seed tag, and with some basic improvements to our processes, we can enable ourselves to meet higher min-imum purity and higher minimum germination standards.24GERMINATION.CAJULY 2022'