b'How Chile Makes Contra Season Seed Production PossibleWhen it comes to the agricultural relationship between North and South America, theres something that binds the two continents together perhaps more tightly than anything elsegrowing seed during the off-season. Marc ZienkiewiczDURING NORTH AMERICAScomparatively cold winters, the climate in several South American countriesspecifi- Ioana Stroe is Chile lab cally Chileis virtually the same as is found during a Northoperations manager for American summer.20/20 Seed Labs.Its during these monthstypically September to Marchthat seed is produced in Chile and then shipped north to the United States and Canada where it is sold to farmers and grown during North Americas growing season.Its an annual tradition that has only intensified with the advent of canola, the dominant contra season oilseed crop grown in Chile. Sarah Foster, president of Canadas 20/20 Seed Labs, has spent years heading to Chile on an almost annual basis to help operate 20/20s Chilean operations, based at Curimapu ExportJim Schweigert operates the in Chilln (located about 250 miles south of Santiago). Wisconsin-based Gro Chile is, undoubtedly, critically important to Canadas seedAlliance, which conducts industry. Its a long, thin country that covers a big chunk of Southcontra season seed Americas latitude, which is why its so suited to growing crops inproduction in Chile through a joint venture with CIS Agro the contra season. Youve got grapes, asparagus, nuts, cherries,called CIS Alliance.berries, cereals, canola, soybeanthe list goes on. Its unbe-lievable how diverse that country is in terms of its production, Foster says.But because the landmass is so limited, everything grown there during the contra season is a high value cropeverything. Nothing is grown in Chile that doesnt have value.High StakesIn other words, the stakes are high not just for North AmericanSarah Foster serves as president of 20/20 Seed Labs.seed companies, but for their Chilean partners, and every piece of available land in Chile is maximized for production. Chiles mountainous landscape limits the extent and intensity of its agriculture. As a result, the countrys arable land corre-sponds only to 2.62% of its total landmassmeaning every inch of farmland is highly valuable. Nicolas Sahli is managing The Chilean economy is heavily export dependent. Thepartner at CIS Agro and CIS entire countryfrom government down to individual people Alliance in Chile.understand the work theyre doing for international businesses and the international community is vital to their long-term suc-cess, says Jim Schweigert, president of the Wisconsin-based Gro Alliance. 78/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2022'