b'The meeting showcased CSGAs commitment to inter- CAN CONSUMERS HELP TO national engagement and harmonization. CSGA actively collaborates with international organizations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and DevelopmentSELL CERTIFIED SEED? THE (OECD) and the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) to align standards and promote globalFOOD PROFESSOR SAYS YEScompetitiveness.We are proactive in international engagement, helpingSylvain Charlebois told CSGA meeting attendees that to drive critical initiatives like digitization. By leveraging ourthe key to increasing usage of Certified seed is to get strengths and collaborative efforts, we aim to build an evenpeople at the grocery store to care about it.brighter future for the seed industry, Miller added.CSGAs plan for the future revolves around four pil-lars of the SRM process. Miller acknowledged that CSGAWANT TO INCREASE Certified seed use? Farmers are a crucial is currently in a transition phase, relying on task teams topart of the conversion. But what about consumerspeople create recommendations that align with the needs of theat the grocery store level?entire value chain, including seed industry stakeholders andThe Canadian Seed Growers Association launched a customers. new campaign to promote the use of certified seed at its As we move forward, we will embrace a transparent byannual meeting. While the campaign will no doubt help default approach, ensuring that our certification decisions,raise awareness of the importance of using quality seed, communication and seed production are conducted in aDalhouse Universitys Sylvain Charleboisknown on trusted and open manner, Miller added.social media as The Food Professor with a popular podcast about food and related issuessays the seed industry could stand to go even further in HONOURING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST making the public aware of how important certified seed is.How to do that? Make it an issue not just among farmers, but consumers at the grocery store level.Farmers are your customers, not consum-At its gala luncheon, CSGA handed out itsers. What Im arguing isRobertson Associate and Honourary Life Awardsthat you need to make aSylvain Charlebois is a researcher to deserving recipients whove faithfully served theclear case to consumersand professor in food distribution seed grower community. about why youre [promot- and policy at Dalhousie UniversityHonourary Life Award: Glyn Chancey, Heathering certified seed]. To getwho has a popular podcast about food and related issues.McBey farmers to buy into this Robertson Associate Award: Dave MacKellar,is going to be difficult. What Im arguing is that if you get Martin Provencher consumers to understand what youre doing, itll be easier upstream to get the customerthe farmeronboard, he said.If consumers understood Certified seeds importance, theyd demand farmers use it. One of the enduring challenges faced by the food industry is the persistent misunderstanding and undervalu-ation of its intricacies by consumers, he said. He explained that theres a disparity between the perception and reality of food production, illustrating how consumers often fail to grasp the complexities of the industrys standards, certifica-tion programs, and the sheer value of the work farmers and food producers undertake.Bridging this perception gap is essential to fostering a more informed and appreciative relationship between con-sumers and the food industry. SEPTEMBER 2023GERMINATION.CA 11'