b'SEEDS CANADA / SEEDS-CANADA.CA / MOVING AHEAD WITH GENE EDITING IS A HUGE STEP FORWARDSUSTAINABILITY ISNT JUST A BUZZWORD,AND HERES A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHYTHERE ARE MULTIPLEdefinitions of sustainability inthis regard, especially in the policy sphere. The Seeds agricultural production, and they vary depending onCanada Sustainability Draft Action Plan that was where you are along the value chain. recently released acknowledges that sustainability is a For a farmer, sustainability may be the ability totopic of conversation that will continue to be impor-continue operating into the future, while also beingtant in the future. Therefore, it puts forward several able to pass the farm down to the next generation.key actions to support advocacy and continuous However, in a broader context, sustainability alsoimprovement in this area.encompasses mitigating changes to the climate andFarmers understand that seed and seed-associated adapting to the effects of climate change. technologies have a huge impact on their production. Lauren Comin,Canadian agricultures quest towards sustain- However, they may not always recognize the direct Seeds Canadaability gained a new champion on May 3, whenlinks to sustainability. Government, the international Regulatory AffairsAgriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau clarifiedcommunity, and consumers also play a crucial role in Manager the federal governments regulatory position on genesustainability. editing in Canada. Government makes policy decisions and may The announcement and resulting celebration byrecommend best management practices, and it should seed developers, farmers and the grain industry wasencourage farmers to use genetic packages that pro-a prime example of how the concept of sustainabilitymote sustainability. Consumers are also interested in unites all stakeholders along the value chain. the lifecycle impact of their food, and eventually, food Bringing clarity to governments position oncompanies will need input from crop producers for a gene editing was crucial in sending positive signalscomplete picture of the footprint of a product.to both the industry and farmers in Canada that,Moreover, the seed industry needs to focus on its when it comes to new breeding techniques, Canadaown operations and practices to ensure sustainability. is a welcoming place for new ideas and technolo- This requires educating our members on the latest gies. Moreover, it indicates that the government isinnovations and improvements in genetic packages in favour of the agriculture sector using new innova- and providing members with the necessary resources tions, such as gene editing, to promote sustainableto implement sustainable practices on their farms production and recognizes seed innovations con- or in their operations This includes all seed industry tribution to supporting food security regardless ofmembers from multinationals to single seed growers.calls to reduce the overall footprint of agriculturalBy working together, we can ensure the seed production. This acknowledgement is a significantindustry contributes to global food security while step forward. minimizing its environmental impact.Without access to tools such as gene editing,This is sustainability in action, and its in this the farming community in Canada would be at aspirit that well tackle the topic of sustainability at disadvantage compared to other countries aroundour annual conference in July, to be held in St. Johns, the world. The assurance by the government thatNfld. from July 10-12. gene editing is as safe as conventional breeding is aAlso, if youre a Seeds Canada member, we significant development, and it provides confidence towant you to provide your feedback via our Member the industry and the farming community in Canada,Sustainability Survey! If youre a member of Seeds as well as our customers worldwide. Canada visit surveymonkey.com/r/WXD7F8Z and It has taken some time for progress to happen infill it out. 32GERMINATION.CAJULY 2023'