b'To Ensure the Success of Contra-Season Production, Regulatory Change is a MustAFTER MORE THAN25 years in the canola seedThis will help prevent confusion and uncertainty industry, I have observed firsthand how contra seasonamong regulators and seed producers and will help production has become a crucial element of industryensure the movement of seed is properly regulated to success. With hybrid canola being one of the mostaddress the risk of pest and disease spread.profitable crops for producers, and the biggest, mostThe good news is there is work being done and competitive crop in the Canadian seed market, theimportant progress being made in some areas. The ability to advance material quickly and get new tech- Seed Association of the Americas along with national nology into the hands of farmers faster is essential forseed associations like ANPROS, Argentina Seed remaining competitive. Association, American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) One of the challenges to this is a regulatory systemand Seeds Canada are working with regulators on SCOTT HORNER,which has not kept pace with technology developmentinternational and bilateral solutions.Chief Commercialand is overburdened and in many ways inefficient. IfTwo important initiatives include the adoption of Officer, HyTechindustry is to be successful in meeting producer needselectronic phytosanitary certificates (e-phytos) and Production to address todays environmental, food nutrition andthe implementation of a systems approach for regula-food security challenges, regulatory innovation andtion of international seed movement. Both initiatives capacity must keep pace. The current regulatoryhave the potential to significantly reduce time, cost and environment, both domestically in many countries andcomplexity of international seed movement.internationally, is fragmented, with poor informationThe current process of issuing phytosanitary cer-sharing and old systems.tificates is time-consuming and costly, for both seed The importance of contra season production andcompanies and regulators. The adoption of digital global seed trade cannot be overstated. Breederse-phytos is a great efficiency step; by transitioning rely on contra season nurseries to cut field screeningto an electronic system, regulators will free up much-time in half, this has become a mainstream relianceneeded capacity and seed companies will improve for private and public breeding programs in mostshipping times and reduce cost. crops. Bringing new seed technology to market isAnother important initiative is the adoption of a highly dependent on the contra season and regula- systems approach. This approach recognizes and uti-tory system challenges increase cost and time, robbinglizes the quality management systems seed companies resources from breeding and development and slow- have in place to ensure the quality and purity of seed ing the introduction of important seed innovations.they produce. By accrediting companies based on Its a critical time in the world for the solutionstheir effective quality management systems, significant plant breeding and gene editing can bring to addresstime and cost will be saved and the burden on regula-the environmental, food nutrition and food securitytors reduced. Broad implementation of the systems challenges we are presented with. Regulatory mod- approach is an audacious goal, with the potential to ernization cant happen fast enough; its overdue andrevolutionize seed movement, creating clear and tangi-a critical step for industry and government to take.ble benefits for all stakeholders.Leadership and focus in this area by national, regionalThe future of the seed sector to do what needs to and international seed associations is needed.be done to meet global food, fuel and environmental Individual seed companies need to step up anddemands will rely heavily on short-term success with engage, too. Industry needs to be proactive with aregulatory modernization. sincere ask: how can we help? Dialogue with regulatorsSeed associations need to continue the hard work is necessary to identify gaps, recognize challenges andof engaging with regulators and seed companies need consider solutions. The seed sector needs to do theto step up in a bigger way to support this work; its a hard work of getting aligned both internally and exter- critical time to create change and capture the opportu-nally with ag industry stakeholders.nity available to our sector. SW 72/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2023'