b'WHY ANALYSTS ARE AT THE CORE OF CANADAS SEED SECTORAfter two years transitioning after the amalgamation, Janek Bartel is laboratory manager at SGS Canada and a Seeds Canada Seeds Canada is delivering on benefits for seed analysts.Ally Roden Seed Testing and Quality Assurance Committee member.LIKE ANY TRANSITION,there are bumpstion where it now stands today. Some and hiccups that need to be worked outformer members of CSAACandand that is no different for the seedcurrent professional class seed analyst analyst members of Seeds Canada.members of Seeds Canadahave They were all formerly membersvoiced concerns over the prioritization of the Commercial Seed Analystsand follow-through on promises made Association of Canada (CSAAC), whichto seed analysts before the amalgama-merged with the Canadian Seed Tradetion.Association, Canadian Seed InstituteThe biggest thingand its diffi-and Canadian Plant Technology Agencycult because the analysts cant see itto form the now two-year-old Seedsis everything thats happening behind Canada.the scenes. In every conversation thats The organization has had a lot on itshappening, analysts are there, whetherMonica Garcia is seed quality testing lab plate since forming, including holdingits me or another staff member ormanager at Corteva Agriscience.a major virtual summit last Februaryboard member. Seed Regulatory to discuss the Seed RegulatoryModernization, policy files, education Modernization process and developing anything thats happened within its Functional Framework for a ModernSeeds Canada, the seed analysts have a Seed System. voice, says Erickson.The first year-and-a-half to twoThe question then becomes, how can years have been about the transitionErickson and other leaders increase the and getting things set up in the backcommunication and make the analysts end. And of course, Seed Regulatoryfeel heard? To answer that question, Modernization (SRM) happened at theSeeds Canada executive director Barry exact same time as we amalgamated,Senft, Client Strategy and Solutions and that has taken up a lot of time asDirector Roy van Wyk and Erickson well, explains Krista Erickson, formerset out on a cross-Canada member and executive director for CSAAC and currentclient tour earlier this year. Erickson and director of member strategy and solu- her team extended an open invitation to tions for Seeds Canada. all members and clients, directly inviting While the leaders spearheadingall analyst members and allowing for Seeds Canada are moving the organiza- face-to-face conversations where theyKrista Erickson serves as director of tion forward, they have put in extensivecould hear directly from the analysts. member strategy and solutions for time and work to get the organiza- Theyre pleased to know that evenSeeds Canada.14GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2023'