b'THE SAA CONGRESS IS BACKIN A BIG WAYThe Seed Association of the Americas is about to welcome people back for the firsttime since 2018.Marc ZienkiewiczFOR ITS FIRSTin-person event sinceour farmers, and definitely for our 2018, the Seed Association of theeconomies. It also means that we Americas (SAA) has expanded itsneed good communication between agenda to include new topics focus- regulatory offices in different coun-ing on business and trade. tries. That brings predictability to our When planning the upcomingindustry, to ensure everyone is on the 8th Seed Congress of the Americas,same page. Now that regulations are Diego Risso and his team at the SAAin place, seed companies are invest-were faced with a big challenge: howing in developing new technologies to properly welcome people back tothrough plant breeding innovation, an in-person event for the first timeRisso says.in several years. Now its time to see how the The Congress, held every twosystem operates in practice.years, traditionally focuses heavily onFor the first time in its history, the regulatory matters that affect the seedDiego Risso. SAA is planning a roundtable about industry on two different continents.cannabis and hemp regulations, pro-Risso and his team knew this eventproducts and learn about the latestduction and trade.would have to be different. innovations. Some countries in the Americas We of course wanted to keepSessions will focus on some mainalready have in place regulations to the regulatory focus of the event,areas of the seed business: innova- produce seed for hemp and cannabis, but also put an emphasis on tradetion, environment, social and eco- and I think its time to start provid-and doing business. This has beennomic sustainability, facilitation ofing this information to our members, in demand from our members, butthe seed movement and the impor- Risso says.also from seed companies outside thetance of communication. Other presentations featured Americas. Judging by our registrationSpecific topics include gene edit- include changes in seed treatment numbers so far, there is a lot of inter- ing, its uses, benefits and the oppor- regulations and requirements; har-est in this expanded agenda, saystunities it presents. Risso notes thatmonization of seed trade regulations; Risso, executive director of the SAA. Argentina was one of the first Southinnovation as a response to environ-In a sit-down interview with SeedAmerican countries to have genemental concerns; and the impact of World Groups Shawn Brook, Rissoediting regulations in place. Shortlythe post-truth era on our production says the SAA Congresstakingafter, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay,systems.place Sept. 26-28 in Punta del Este,Chile, Honduras and Guatemala allFor information on the 8th Seed Uruguayis back in a big way. developed regulations stating that ifCongress of the Americas, visit This two-and-a-half-day congressno foreign DNA is found in the finalsaaseedcongress.org. will gather regional seed profession- product, the resulting product will als, seed leaders, breeders, research- be considered non-GM. Canada in ers, policymakers, governmentthe United States have taken similar officials and students, in an extraor- regulatory paths.dinary opportunity to learn, connect,Gene editing means opportuni- Watch Diego Rissos interview with Seed World Groups Shawn Brook at germination.ca/the-saa-generate new business, promote yourties and competitive advantages forcongress-is-back-in-a-big-way36GERMINATION.CASEPTEMBER 2022'