May 17, 2024

AGM Registration is Now Open!

Join us for CSGA’s 120th Annual General Meeting, which will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. ET.

The AGM is open to all members and stakeholders. Advanced registration is required and is open until Thursday, June 20, 2024. Additional AGM details can be found on our event webpage. We hope to see you there!

REGISTER HERE

Regular Members May Submit Member Proposals

In the April 16 Seed Scoop, Regular members were invited to submit Member Proposals via email before the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

The Member Proposal process is your opportunity to present issues for discussion as part of our AGM. To present a Member Proposal, please complete this form and submit it via email to Mike Scheffel by Monday, June 3, 2024. Please contact Mike if you need assistance completing the form.

All proposals received will be circulated through Seed Scoop before the AGM.

Digital Seed Tags in the Marketplace

We are proud to announce that the very first CSGA Breeder and Select digital seed tags are officially live in the marketplace as part of our Digital Seed Tag Pilot Project! Launched last year, the Digital Tag Project aims to increase value and confidence in pedigreed seed, reduce administrative burden, and increase the integrity of our certification system. The new digital Breeder and Select tags—the two pedigreed seed classes within CSGA’s authority—have improved security features and are printed at your seed business on CSGA-provided tag stock with a host of new digital security features.

Dave Benallack, a breeder seed manager for the Crop Development Centre (CDC), is helping CSGA test the new technology. Dave spends hours dealing with paperwork for breeder seed plots and is very familiar with the administrative and practical aspects of field production. Dave says CSGA’s digital seed tags have made a huge difference in his workflow. We are very excited to see the first digital seed tags going out on bags this season!

The tags provide improved security measures and a QR code that, when scanned, links to a Tag Validation Page, verifying the authenticity of the seed and providing the seller the option of sharing additional seed information with their buyers.

As outlined in our Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) policy recommendation of a Digital Single Window, digitizing all seed certification services can expedite data access, provide value-added traceability opportunities for the seed sector and its customers, and improve monitoring and regulatory oversight of the sector. However, this is just one of our four key policy recommendations for the SRM process currently underway with the CFIA.

Crop Application Deadlines Are Coming

With #Plant24 well underway, please remember to submit your application for seed crop certification and membership to CSGA by the following deadline dates. Every application deadline date has a 14 calendar-day grace period to provide flexibility.

• 

  May 5 for winter canola/rapeseed

• May 25 for fall seeded cereals
• June 10 for fababeans, forages, flax, canola, mustard, corn and field peas
• June 20 for all other crops not listed here
• July 10 for field beans and buckwheat
• July 25 for soybeans

For more information, please reference the Application Support Document.

Don’t Forget Your Maps!

Maps are an essential tool that helps the inspector and CFIA check inspector (if applicable) find your field and enables oversight. Submit your map and/or GPS coordinates with your CSGA Application for Seed Crop Certification or upload them to CSGA through SeedCert.

In your application, you may recall previous land use, GPS coordinates, and maps from fields in production in the last years to simplify map submissions.

New Requirements for Forage and Turf

On February 1, 2024, CSGA published the revised version of the Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Pedigreed Seed Crop Production (Circular 6), effective for the 2024 growing season. Significant changes to the isolation requirements and maximum impurity standards for Forage and Turf Grasses and Forage Legumes regarding mechanical purity were made.

To assist growers and assignees in assuring seed crops are produced according to the new requirements, CSGA has developed this guideline document, which explains the new standards in detail. We also remind you to download Circular 6 and consult Sections 6 and 7. Please contact Gail Harris with any questions you may have.

Boost Your Online Reputation – Display Your CSGA Designation’s Digital Badges

Displaying your CSGA digital accreditation badge online is not just about showcasing your accomplishment and seed production knowledge; it’s about building trust, standing out in a competitive landscape, and positioning yourself as a professional leader in the seed sector.

Badges are issued to those with CSGA designations, including Accredited Plot Growers, Recognized Plant Breeders, Recognized Associate Plant Breeders, and new Accredited Seed Growers. A digital badge is a verifiable online credential demonstrating your accomplishment or skill.

You can display your badges on any social media channel, email signature, or website to help distinguish yourself as one of the best in your field and help promote excellence within the Canadian seed sector.

What is the Accredited Seed Grower (ASG) Designation?

This new designation is reserved for experienced seed growers who dedicate their careers to producing the highest-quality pedigreed seed. These growers understand the standards, follow best management practices, and hold strong reputations as providers of high-quality, trusted seed.

This voluntary designation is awarded to those who have:

• Successfully completed two years of seed crop production

      – and –

• Completed the CSGA Learn Experienced Seed Grower Program

As an experienced grower, you can highlight your knowledge and skills with this CSGA-awarded designation.

Didn’t Receive Your Designation Badge?

When you achieve a CSGA designation, you will receive an email from learn@seedgrowers.ca titled “Congratulations! Here’s your CSGA badge.” Please check your spam or junk folders to see if the email has been redirected. You can view and share your digital badge directly from that email.

If you can’t find your badge email, please let us know, and we will be happy to help you.

Seed Crops Produced by Other Growers

Sometimes, seed growers may contract seed production to other growers. If you are contracting out the seed production, note that all CSGA applications for membership and seed crop certification must be submitted in the names of the growers producing the seed for you – not in the name of the grower/company that has contracted the seed production.

Seed crops produced by growers under contract can then be assigned to you through the CSGA Application for Seed Crop Certification within SeedCert. As a crop certificate assignee, your name will appear on the CSGA crop certificate. You will receive certification-related communications for those fields, and you will be able to oversee and manage the certification of those fields in SeedCert. More information can be found in the Application Support Document.

Applying in the names of seed growers who are producing seed under contract for you on your CSGA membership is a good practice for ensuring traceability, transparency, and effective communication within the Certified seed production process.

Please contact us with any questions. We are happy to help you with crop certificate assignments and how best to manage seed produced by other growers.