b"in creating a culture of unity withinscale of activity in certified seed is the industry. Martin is owner ofastounding, he says.Ontarios Cribit Seeds and anotherThe key component to staying candidate for the inaugural board. competitive in the global marketplace It would stand to reason [thatis to have the best genetics. Thats CSGA] is the organization that hasjust not yieldits disease resistance, a lot of work in front of it to bringinsect resistance, those things that people to a point where they thinkadd value to primary production. this is a good idea. This wholeThe very changes happening within process represents risk, but I preferour industry will drive greater to look at it as a huge opportunity.consumption of pedigreed seed at the The place we could get to by merg- farmer level. Ellen Sparry of C&M Seeds.ing all these organizations with theFor Sparry, seed regulatory inherent horsepower they all have ismodernization is key to driving exciting, he said.change and creating an environment This is not a case of going to thewhere Canada ranks among the farm shop and taking five pieces ofworlds most progressive agricultural equipment and using them to makepowerhouses. Sparry represents something from used parts. Thisthe CSTA at the International Seed is starting from scratch, using theFederation, and regularly meets knowledge all these groups have andwith international companies in that creating a new piece of machinery tocapacity. get this work done. Its not like anyThey are always asking piece of machinery youve seenitwhere Canada stands on traits, performs multiple functions. on regulatory issues. Weve made From a seed grower perspec- good progress this last little whileCribit Seeds' Quentin Martin.tive, Seeds Canada inaugural boardon bringing forward regulation to candidate Nick Sekulic of Albertasallow breeders and developers to Prestville Farms says the benefitsmove technology forward faster. of the proposed new organizationTechnology is moving faster all the are going to become evident as thetime, so how do we bring that into industry continues to change in thethe hands of breeders, growers and face of regulatory modernization andthe general public? she said.the global marketplace. Keeping Canada moving forward Sekulic transitioned what was aalong with other parts of the world large-scale grain operation to seedwill be a top Seeds Canada priority, production six years ago. He nownoted board candidate Jeff Loessin, produces close to 10,000 acres ofwho serves as category leader for pedigreed seed made up of pulsesCorteva Agriscience.and cereals.Im looking forward to helping As a pedigreed seed grower withbuild Canadian agriculture, maintain- Nick Sekulic is an Alberta seed grower.my own processing plant and treat- ing our competitiveness and at the ing facility, I believe [Seeds Canada]end of the day helping Canadian will bring greater efficiency to whatfarmers to win. If Seeds Canada can will likely be a rapidly growing seg- deliver proper value to our custom-ment of grain farming in Westerners (i.e. the seed industry in Canada), Canada. Certified seed usage andour customers succeed and deliverFor the latest news on the Seeds Canada pedigreed seed planting will increasemore value to their customers merger vote results, visit our website at dramatically as genetics improve(i.e. Canadian farmers) in turn,germination.ca!the way they have been. The pureLoessin said. SEPTEMBER 2020 GERMINATION.CA 5"