Exciting news! Starting next spring, CSGA will offer Affiliate and Associate class memberships.
At Tuesday’s Special General Meeting in Calgary during the Interprovincial Meeting, members voted unanimously to adopt new by-laws that reintroduce Affiliate and Associate memberships and update CSGA’s governance to reflect modern best practices.
Affiliate memberships will be open to any person, partnership, or organization supporting the production of pedigreed seed. Including:
- Seed Growers or CSGA-Recognized Plant Breeders wishing to maintain membership but not actively producing seed,
- Seed analysts, crop inspectors, Registered Seed Establishments, seed laboratories, and
- Seed companies not producing Breeder seed or hybrid crops.
Associate memberships will be open to any sector association or organization that is involved in or has an interest in pedigreed seed production to become a member, including:
- Seed Sector Associations
- Associations where CSGA is currently a member (reciprocal membership)
- National and Provincial Associations
- Companies that support pedigreed seed production
- International organizations like AOSCA, ISTA, etc.
- Governmental organizations
Adding Affiliate and Associate membership types allows CSGA to welcome more stakeholders into the day-to-day seed certification system. This will strengthen our expertise, broaden perspectives, and enhance diversity at a critical phase of the evolution and modernization of Canada’s seed sector. This not only improves our seed certification system but creates a pathway for more stakeholders who want to be part of the conversation for the big-picture issues that will be discussed as part of this critical modernization process underway.
