b'Shes been at the CFIA for 17 years and had a decade ofresult in significant changes or areas where there wasnt task experience in the agriculture industry prior to that. She saysteam agreement.that SRM offers a once-in-a-generation chance to create a newThe survey is based on the recommendations of the first future for an entire industry, and with 2025 being the goal tothree task teams, which are focused on registration, seed finalize that new regulatory system, Jahn and her team have acertification, and seed standards and grade tables. Two addi-lot of work to do. tional task teams have completed their work (seed testing She took over as Seed Section national manager in 2017,and common seed), and two more were launched, focused on having served as one of the acting managers prior to that. Shesinformation and import/export of seed. An additional survey is seen the CFIA Seed Section evolve over the past number ofexpected to be released.years, as the federal agency has progressively turned to alter-native service delivery for activities that CFIA itself used to providea process she says is nothing new and began in the early 1900s with the creation of the Canadian Seed GrowersWEVE ALWAYS BELIEVED ITS IMPORTANT TO Association. LOOK AT WHERE WE NEED GOVERNMENT TO BE Weve always believed its important to look at where we need government to be and where we dont, she says. We stillAND WHERE WE DONT.need to have confidence in our seed certification system and seed regulatory system as a whole, but there are opportunitiesWendy Jahnfor many activities occurring outside of regulation, outside of government and perhaps they dont need to occur at all. Its been a fascinating journey. While the winter survey covers seed certification, variety For Jahn, that journey originally began when she finishedregistration and seed standards/grade tables, for Jahn, one rec-her masters degree in plant breeding at the University ofommendation stands out as an example of a change that could Guelph. She wanted to work in seed, but her first job was withsignificant for seed companies and crop value chains.It may be Maple Leaf Foods exporting food grade soybeans. She waspart of the changes put in place when the process is complete in connected with the seed industry in various forms throughout2025. her career including her time as general manager of the OntarioThat task team recommendation involves creating a system Soybean Growers. to add new crop types to the list of registered varieties and remove crop types from that list.Profound Change Currently, this is not possible; crop value chains are in the Earlier this year, the CFIA initiated the first public consultationdrivers seat to decide the level of variety registration require-on the recommendations that are coming forward as part ofments they need but are not able to be added or removed from the SRM process. It is the first of several planned consultationsthe list of crops subject to registration, Jahn notes.to gauge the agriculture industrys opinions on what needs toJahn says if this recommendation were to come to fruition, change in the regulatory system of the future. it would provide stakeholders with the opportunity to exit from Should Canada continue to have a national variety regis- variety registration as long as there was a good reason to do so tration system? Should it continue to have one national bodyand a reasonable amount of stakeholder value chain consensus. establishing and determining the seed crop varietal purityIt would also provide a way for crop industries to approach the standards to issue a seed crop certificate? Should the purityCFIA and ask to be part of variety registration, which is not standards for No. 1 and No. 2 grades be the same? currently possible.All these questions and more were put forward to seedIm really hopeful that seed regulatory modernization will industry stakeholders in the recent survey, which closed Mayresult in the best outcome that brings value for industry and for 1. The consultation provided an update on the progress of thethe producers and consumers who purchase seed and related first three task teams and asked stakeholders for their input onproducts, she adds. The next few years will be a big challenge recommendations that would have a significant impact, mightfor me but a great experience, she adds. JULY 2023 GERMINATION.CA 9'