CSGA Members Vote in Favour of Expanded Membership Classes!
Starting next February, CSGA will offer Affiliate and Associate class memberships. At the November 26th 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.
The rights and privileges of CSGA Regular members have not changed. Seed growers will continue to apply through the CSGA Membership Application/Renewal form, which must be completed and signed by the grower(s) producing pedigreed seed crops in the current year.
All three CSGA membership classes—Regular, Affiliate, and Associate—have the right to attend member-to-member meetings and submit member proposals. Regular Members can run for the Board by nomination at their Provincial Annual General Meeting (AGM) and vote to elect Regular Directors to the Board at the CSGA AGM. Affiliate Members can run for and vote to elect Affiliate Directors at the CSGA AGM. For every 100 Affiliate Members, one Board seat is allocated exclusively for Affiliate representation (up to two Board seats).
To promote equality and accessibility, CSGA has set a unified membership fee of $240 across all membership types, which reflects our commitment to equality and unity across membership classes while ensuring membership remains accessible to all.
Affiliate memberships will be open to any regulated party in Canada’s seed certification system, including:
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- 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), Licensed Seed Crop Inspectors (LSCI), seed analysts, seed graders, seed laboratories, seed establishments, and operators of Registered Seed Establishments authorized, licensed, accredited, or registered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Seed companies that do not meet Regular membership requirements
- Active plant breeding institutions
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:
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- Seed sector associations
- National and provincial agriculture and agrifood associations
- Organizations that support the seed sector
- Government and intergovernmental organizations
- International seed sector associations
CSGA’s introduction of Affiliate and Associate memberships opens the door for more stakeholders to actively participate in our seed crop certification system. This initiative enhances expertise, diversity, and collaboration at a critical moment in the modernization of Canada’s seed sector, fostering broader involvement in addressing the big-picture issues that will shape the future of our sector.
If you wish to become a CSGA member, please complete the Membership Interest Form to receive an application package in February. We also encourage you to share this opportunity with others and organizations that might be interested in joining us in advancing Canada’s seed sector.
If you have any questions, please reach out directly via email or call (613) 236.0497 ext. 8803.
What We Heard Report
Summary of Feedback
Affiliate Membership Class
- 85% of respondents were in favour of reintroducing the Affiliate membership class
- 85% of the respondents were in favour of the proposed Affiliate rights and privileges
Associate Membership Class
- 83% of respondents were in favour of reintroducing the Associate Membership Class
- 84% of the respondents were in favour of the proposed Associate rights and privileges
Proposed By-law Revisions
- 86% of respondents were in favour of the proposed general By-law amendments presented.
We invite you to read the full “What We Heard” Report.
As part of CSGA’s ongoing efforts to develop an inclusive next-generation seed certification system, the CSGA Board of Directors is launching a consultation and survey to gather your feedback on proposed By-law changes to:
- Reintroduce Affiliate and Associate membership classes, creating more opportunities for stakeholder participation in day-to-day CSGA activities, and
- Housekeeping By-law amendments, aligning CSGA governance processes with best practices.
This consultation follows discussions during the Branch Annual Meetings this past winter, during which the proposals received strong member support. Both proposals align with CSGA’s commitment to trust, transparency, and public good, key elements in CSGA’s 2.0 Business Plan and Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) vision.
Key Information
We invite you to read the following key documents on the membership class proposal.
Note: Annotated By-law document updated August 2024 to incorporate proper formatting.
Consultation Survey
AUGUST 12, 2024 : The survey is now closed. Thank you for your participation.
Next Steps
CSGA will review the survey results and provide a report to the Board of Directors. If there is strong member support for the proposals, a Special General Meeting (SGM) would be required for members to vote on the proposed changes.
Reintroduction of Affiliate and Associate Membership Classes
In 2013, CSGA transitioned from multiple membership types, including variations of the Affiliate and Associate membership being proposed, to a single Regular membership type due to implications of the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act (CNCA).
Today, the CSGA Board of Directors seeks feedback on reintroducing Affiliate and Associate membership classes. These classes provide new ways for stakeholders not currently producing pedigreed seed to engage directly in Canada’s seed crop certification system. The proposal to reintroduce these membership classes is part of a national discussion. It does not impact the Branches at this time, though Branches may choose to follow suit.
Reintroducing Affiliate and Associate membership types will strengthen our expertise, broaden perspectives, and enhance diversity at a critical phase of the evolution and modernization of Canada’s seed sector. As CSGA strives to be the main administrator of Canada’s seed certification system, this proposal helps ensure that all regulated parties engaged in Canada’s seed certification system can become CSGA members. In addition, the proposal amplifies our recommendations to government and highlights our vision of an inclusive seed certification system for the public good of Canadian agriculture.
Affiliate Membership
Any person, partnership, or organization supporting pedigreed seed production.
- For example, seed growers who wish to maintain membership but are not actively producing seed, seed analysts, crop inspectors, operators of RSEs, and seed distributors not producing Breeder seed or hybrid crops
Associate Membership
Any organization involved or interested in pedigreed seed production.
- For example, seed sector associations, reciprocal memberships, national and regional producer associations, international organizations, and government organizations.
Voting Rights by Membership Class
Adding new membership classes involves clearly defining the rights of each class of members, including voting rights and the ability to become a member of the Board of Directors. As mentioned during the Branch Annual Meetings last winter, this change does not seek to dilute the rights of existing Regular members.
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Notes
- All three CSGA membership classes would have the right to attend CSGA member-to-member meeting sessions and submit member proposals.
- Examples of AGM motions include approvals of the agenda, previous meeting minutes, Association auditors, etc.
- Only Regular Members have the right to run for the Board through nomination at their Branch Annual General Meeting and vote to elect the Regular Directors on the Board.
- Only Affiliate Members have the right to run for and vote to elect the Affiliate Director(s) on the Board. The Board is proposing that the Affiliate membership class would have one representative on the CSGA Board of Directors, with only Affiliate members being able to vote and elect their representative. In the proposed By-laws, the Affiliate membership class would have an additional representative on the Board seat if the Affiliate membership exceeds 100 members.
Please note that the reintroduction of the Affiliate and Associate membership classes WILL NOT:
- change CSGA’s existing Regular Member class
- dilute the rights of Regular Members
- impact the trusted grower model, the basis of CSGA’s seed crop certification
By-law Amendments
In addition to the proposed reintroduction of Associate and Affiliate membership classes, the CSGA Board would like to take this opportunity to amend some of its general governance By-laws to clarify definitions and better align CSGA governance processes with best practices. Examples include but are not limited to, clarifying definitions and interpretations, refining the Honours and member meetings sections, and clarifying the duties of the Board of Directors section. You can view a full breakdown of all the affected By-laws here. (Note: Annotated By-law document updated August 2024 to incorporate proper formatting.)
