b'CSGA / SEEDGROWERS.CA / WERE ENABLING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICESWE ARE MODERNIZING LAND USE REQUIREMENTS TO HELP GROWERS HARNESS THE BENEFITS OF COVER CROPSTHE CANADIAN SEED Growers Association (CSGA) recentlyany potential changes before updat-announced some changes to Circular 6, specifically toing our land use requirements.the mechanical purity standards and the isolation andCSGA is continuing to modernize previous land use requirements relating to the presenceto better serve seed sector stake-of buckwheat plants in pedigreed cereal crops and cerealholders. As interest in cover crops plants in pedigreed buckwheat crops. increases, our regulations need to be These changes address concerns that immature volun- flexible to ensure seed growers can teer buckwheat plants are causing cereal seed crops to beimplement best management prac-declined certification or demoted to a lower class despitetices to enhance soil health, contrib-the minimal risk they pose to the mechanical purityute to sustainability, and continue Gail Harris of the seed. The updates refine the in-field mechanicalproducing the quality seed for which Manager, Standards purity standards to meet the needs of seed growers andthey are known. their customers. In Januarys issue of Germination, we provided an update on our mechanical purity research project toWHAT IS THE PURPOSE gather seed cleaning data to inform a review of CSGAs maximum impurity standards for mechanical impurities inOF THE CSGA LAND USE cereals in Section 2 of Circular 6. We invited growers toREQUIREMENTS?participate in the project if their 2021 fields were demoted or declined pedigreed status due to mechanical impuritiesPrevious land use requirements no more than six times the maximum number of otherminimize the risk of contamination crops permitted in the current Circular 6 standards. from volunteers or other varieties of The results of this project will be presented to CSGAsthe same crop kind. Generally, they Regulatory Services Committee to help inform futuredont allow a seed crop to be grown modernization of seed crop certification requirements. Weon land that could be a source of look forward to reporting more results soon. contaminating plants derived from Broader Vision the previous crop. CSGA land use The mechanical purity project fits into a broader initiativerequirements govern the land which to address our previous land use requirements. Theresis eligible to produce a pedigreed a lot of talk about sustainability right now, and growersseed crop. They specify:increasingly want to intercrop and plant cover crops in Crops should not be planted their fields. Changing previous land use requirements toon land where volunteer growth accommodate more cropping options would allow seedfrom a previous crop may cause growers to adopt more sustainable practices. contaminationCSGA will engage with its crop-specific working The minimum requirements groups to provide recommendations to CSGAs Regulatoryestablished for each crop kind Services Committee before proposing changes to its landwhich are outlined in the crop-use requirements and opening a broader stakeholderspecific sections of Circular 6consultation.Historically, certification requirements have been The status granted to crops written with the assumption that theres only one cropof barley, bean, buckwheat, produced in a field each year.canary seed, chickpea, durum, Now, with more people having two crops in the samefababean, flax, lentil, lupin, oat, year in the same field and sometimes cover crops into thepea, rye, soybean, triticale and fall, our land use requirements need to be reviewed andwheat is in part determined by the updated. As part of that process, we will engage with ourprevious cropworking groups and then consult with stakeholders on 34GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2022'