June 18, 2024

CSGA’s 2023-2024 Annual Report is Now Available

Our 2023-2024 Annual Report is now available online. The report offers a comprehensive overview of CSGA’s efforts to foster excellence within the seed sector.

The Association finished the year in a strong financial position, which continues to support its future projects and strategies. Learn more about our efforts on Seed Regulatory Modernization, #ChooseCertifiedSeed, CSGA Health, digital seed tags, and more. Read the full report here.

Consultation on Proposed Membership Classes and By-law Changes

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:

1. Reintroduce Affiliate and Associate membership classes, creating more opportunities for stakeholder participation in day-to-day CSGA activities and
2. Housekeeping By-law amendments, aligning CSGA governance processes with best practices.

This consultation follows discussions during the Branch’s Annual Meetings this past winter, during which the proposals received strong member support.

Key Information

We invite you to read the following key documents on the membership class proposal. 

Additional information is also available here.

By-law Amendments

The CSGA Board would also 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. The survey will be open from June 12 to August 12, 2024. 

Consultation Survey

Members and stakeholders are encouraged to complete a 10-minute survey to provide feedback on the proposed membership class and By-law changes mentioned above. The survey will be open from June 12 to August 12, 2024. We thank you for your participation.

CSGA’s AGM is Just Days Away!

Remember to register for our 120th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. EDT. The AGM is open to all members and stakeholders, and advanced registration is required and is open until June 20. Please review the AGM webpage before the meeting for important information, including the agenda, meeting minutes and the audited financial statements. We hope to see you there! 

Member Proposals For AGM

Please note that no Member Proposals were received by the CSGA office for presentation and discussion at the upcoming CSGA Annual General Meeting. However, there will be time allocated for discussions and questions. Thank you for your participation.

Thank You to Our AGM Sponsors

CSGA would like to thank all our sponsors in advance of our Annual General Meeting! A great deal of work and expense goes into these meetings, and thanks to these companies, CSGA can offer a successful and efficient AGM.

New to Seed Production? You Have a Strong Support System

New seed growers are critical to the long-term sustainability of Canada’s seed system. Providing support and encouragement is extremely important. After all, these are the next generation of proud farmers to carry on Canada’s international reputation for quality seed production!

In fact, there is a strong support system behind you to help you through your first crop season. The inspection services and their inspectors are willing and able to give advice on how to prepare for the inspection to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. New growers can also leverage other local growers for advice on what works and what doesn’t in their area. Seed distributors and sellers would have great insight and certainly, a crop advisor would be able to help optimize your production. For questions about the Seed Regulations, which cover (among other things) the rules for grading and labelling seed, your local Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) office would best be able to help.

Of course, CSGA is a key part of this support system. We’re here to help you with your crop certification and make navigating the seed system as easy as possible. Circular 6 outlines the requirements that you and your specific seed crop must meet for seed crop certification. Our Application Support Document provides key information on applying for seed crop certification, and our “Getting Started in Seed Production” webpage outlines important steps to take.

 We also offer the online CSGA Learn program “Introduction to Seed Production” ($150), which covers the procedures, standards, and best management practices to help you succeed in your production of certified seed.

With five courses included, you’ll learn about seed certification classes, producing Foundation, Registered and Certified seed crops, the seed crop certification process and information on harvest, handling, and storage.

Unsure? Don’t Harvest! If you are not sure your crop has been inspected and passed certification, please check your SeedCert account, as information is provided in near real-time. An uninspected harvested crop is an uncertified seed crop. Only CSGA will provide the final certification decision. 

We all want you to succeed, and we’re here to help you along the way – all you need to do is reach out and ask. If you have any questions, please email us or call (613) 236-0497 ext. 8803.