CSGA Membership

New in 2025, the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) will offer three membership classes – Regular, Affiliate and Associate. Resulting from a membership vote in 2024 to approve new By-Laws, CSGA now welcomes all seed and agriculture sector stakeholders who are passionate about seed and want to advance the Canadian seed certification system. Please read the By-Laws for more information on the changes and reintroduction of the Affiliate and Associate membership classes.

For equality and accessibility, membership fees are unified across all membership classes at $240 for Regular, Affiliate and Associate memberships and are renewed annually.

For detailed information on membership requirements, terms, administration and procedures of CSGA’s membership, please consult CSGA’s By-Laws and the CSGA Membership Admission Policy and Procedures.

Regular Membership – $240

Regular membership is open to any individual, partnership, or organization producing or undertaking to produce a pedigreed seed crop. Seed growers and plant breeders apply annually, starting in March, through the submission of an Application for Seed Crop Certification and an Application for CSGA Membership/Renewal in SeedCert. The membership form must be completed and signed by the grower(s) producing pedigreed seed crops in the current year. For more information, consult the Application Support Document.

Regular membership fees are $240 for the first Regular Member on an account, and $25 for each additional grower on a group account. All growers active in seed production on the farm are encouraged to join and be listed on the account.

Seed growers who are not actively producing seed or plant breeders who are not applying for certification in any given year and who therefore no longer qualify for Regular membership may apply for Affiliate membership.

Regular Member Rights

- Each Regular Member gets one (1) vote at CSGA meetings, can attend member-to-member sessions and may submit member proposals
- Regular Members can run for the CSGA Board by nomination at their regional branch Annual General Meeting (AGM) and vote to elect Regular Directors to the Board at the CSGA AGM.
- Regular Members have the right to vote on certification fees (By-law 13:01 a)), and on Association business during Special General Meetings.

Affiliate Membership – $240

Affiliate membership is open to any regulated party in Canada’s seed certification system, including:

Seed growers not actively producing seed crops in the current fiscal year;
Plant breeders not applying for the certification of Breeder seed in the current fiscal year;
Authorized Seed Crop Inspection Services (ASCIS) and Licensed Seed Crop Inspectors (LSCI);
Seed analysts and seed laboratories,
Seed graders, seed establishments and operators of Registered Seed Establishments,
Seed companies that do not meet Regular membership requirements, and
Active plant breeding institutions

Applications for Affiliate membership will be available on February 17, 2025. Please complete this Membership Interest Form to receive an application package in February.

Affiliate Member Rights

- Each Affiliate Member gets one (1) vote at CSGA meetings, can attend member-to-member sessions and may submit member proposals. In Special General Meetings, Affiliate Members may vote on matters that directly affect their membership class.
- Affiliate Members can run for and vote to elect the Affiliate Director(s) to the Board at the CSGA AGM.
  - A minimum of one (1) Affiliate Director is nominated from active Affiliate Members, and a second Affiliate Director may be nominated to the Board if there are over 100 Affiliate Members. Only Affiliate Members may vote on Affiliate Directors.

Associate Membership – $240

Associate membership is open to any industry association or organization involved in or interested in pedigreed seed production and certification, including:

Seed sector associations
National and provincial agriculture and agrifood associations
Organizations that support the seed sector
Government and intergovernmental organizations
International seed sector associations

Applications for Associate membership will be available on February 17, 2025. Please complete this Membership Interest Form to request an application package in February.

Associate Member Rights

- Each Associate Member can attend member-to-member sessions and submit member proposals, but does not vote on Association business. In Special General Meetings, Associate Members may vote on matters that directly affect their membership class.