b'vidual peopleunderstand the work theyre doing forTheir climate is very similar to Chiles and benefits HOW CHILE MAKES CONTRA SEASONinternational businesses and the international communityfrom two growing seasons; it could be an ideal place is vital to their long-term success, says Jim Schweigert,to do such production if it could no longer be done in president of the Wisconsin-based Gro Alliance.Chile, says Stroe.Gro Alliance partners with Chiles CIS Agro in itsRick Rutherford, a Canadian seed grower who goes SEED PRODUCTION POSSIBLE Chilean joint venture, CIS Alliance, to carry out contrato Chile to consult for two Chilean seed companies, says season seed nursery projects in a range of species. Chiles ability to adapt to change is helping it weather the Theres a lot of places around the world where youchallenges posed by climate change.can potentially do contra season production, but to me,Chile is a lot like Southern Alberta with a dry cli-Chile has several big advantages. One is they have themate, and you irrigate as required. Because the plateau right people with the right attitude, Schweigert says.the country farms on is right next to the Andes, thats That attitude comes from years of experience work- where the snowpack is, and its used for irrigation, says ing with people from North America for export marketRutherford.purposes, Schweigert adds. The CIS Alliance nurseryIn 2022, they enjoyed the best snowpack theyve had carries out customer seed breeding projects in corn andin years. For this next production season, things are look-soybeans, along with 13 other crop species. Schweigertsing really positive in terms of available water.clients are based in Japan, Europe, the United States,While water availability can be a concern, Chilean Canada and beyond. seed companies are innovating with irrigation techniques Its completely natural for them to understand thethat help them maximize available water sources.cultural nuances of whoever theyre working with. YouThe central region of Chile is indeed experiencing might not find that anywhere else.less rain than we are accustomed to. We have been work-ing to find fields with better water access, says Nicolas COVID, Climate Change and Politics Sahli, managing partner at CIS Agro based near Santiago. Like any other crop-producing country, Chile hasWe have all our seed under pivot irrigation and also its challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic madedrip irrigation. That helps us to be very flexible and we contra season production a challenge due tocan produce almost any kind of seed as a result.health restrictions which impeded movementCIS Agro produces basic and commercial off-season throughout the country. seeds for crops such as corn, soybeans, beets, sunflower, One of biggest global effects of thecanola, sweet corn, and others for clients around the pandemic was delay in shipping goods.world. ANPROS, Chiles seed association, began Despite the challenges around COVID and climate to stress when the pandemic started thatchange, Chile enjoys a supportive business environment everything to do with contra seasonfrom a political perspective. The countrys national gov-production in Chile had to be done inernment is currently re-writing the Chilean constitution, advance, including sending seed into theand earlier this year, concerns arose among seed industry country to be multiplied.stakeholders that legislation might be introduced to ban ANPROS worked with authorities tothe production of GM seed in the country.implement different actions for speedingChile currently does not allow GMO crops to be up every process regarding seed movement,grown by farmers for the national market, but allows GM according to Mario Schindler, executive directorseed production for export. of ANPROS.The ANPROS board of directors said its pleased that ANPROS and ANPROS-SAG (Chiles inspectionthe final text for the proposed new constitution does not service) have collaborated with Chilean authorities toinclude anything that would directly affect seed produc-digitize more paperwork related to seed certificationtion in Chile.and phytosanitary certification, which made the processThe fact that Chile is so adept at catering to export easier.market needs is one major thing that has helped it Also of concern is climate change. Ioana Stroe, Chiledevelop into the kind of place that is today. Its a testa-lab operations manager for 20/20 Seed Labs, says Chilesment to the value that GMO research and exports bring to climate is changing, and that means 20/20s holdings inChile and its people, Schweigert adds.Chile may one day change. Cooler summers mean ChileChiles infrastructure has grown so much in a short is not immune to the climate change challenges faced intime. and it continues to develop and advance. Chile is a the rest of the world, she notes. great example to the rest of world when it comes to inno-Depending on what happens, seed companies bothvation and progress.in Canada and abroad may one day be looking to other nearby countrieslike Argentina, Paraguay and Perufor contra-season production, Stroe says. NOVEMBER 2022GERMINATION.CA 17'