A Special General Meeting of
Members of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association
will be held on November 20th, 2019
at the Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel,
612 Spadina Crescent East, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,
from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the South West meeting room
This is a reminder of the notice sent out on August 7, 2019 to CSGA Members confirming that a Special General Meeting of CSGA Members will be held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on November 20, 2019.
The meeting is being held in conjunction with the Inter-Provincial seed growers meeting, sessions of which immediately precede it.
Those wishing to attend the CSGA Special General Meeting of Members may register here or at the door.
MEETING BACKGROUND
The purpose of the Special General Meeting is to seek member feedback on proposed modernization initiatives as well as related resourcing strategies (including potential temporary fee increases) and to seek Member support in respect of actions that the CSGA Board of Directors will be considering in the coming months. While the Board is responsible for the governance and management of CSGA, and the members’ feedback and resolution are not binding on the Board, they will nevertheless provide valuable guidance to the Board as it addresses the following three matters which will impact the future of the Association:
RESOLUTIONS
1. Resolution #1
WHEREAS the CSGA Board of Directors has expressed its position on the Seed Synergy White Paper vision for a Next Generation Seed System in Canada including the proposed consolidation of the CSGA with the Canadian Seed Trade Association, the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada and the Canadian Seed Institute;
AND WHEREAS work on the structure and details of the consolidation is continuing;
AND WHEREAS once a detailed consolidation proposal has been finalized and approved by the CSGA Board and the boards of the other parties, it will be submitted to the CSGA members for ratification and final approval, which approval may be sought as early as July 2020;
Be It Resolved that the CSGA Members hereby support the direction proposed by the Board as set out in the recitals of this resolution.
2. Resolution #2
WHEREAS the CSGA Board is considering measures that would facilitate the establishment of a membership fee structure that includes separate categories for the individual member and for the business with which that individual is associated, with a view to removing current disincentives (high member fees) for individuals to participate in an ongoing manner in current and future seed grower professional development opportunities offered through CSGA or a future National Seed Organization (i.e. the consolidation referred to in Resolution #1 above);
AND WHEREAS it is noteworthy that these measures are proposed in the context of broader discussions on the relative merits of changes to the CSGA membership structure that could establish the business unit (with its associated quality management systems) as the entity to which a crop certificate is issued, to which certain voting rights are assigned and to which fees associated with crop certification are charged;
AND WHEREAS it is also noteworthy that these discussions include consideration of the merits of simultaneously recognizing the professional standing of individual seed growers for the purpose of seed certification and other functions, and to whom certain voting rights are assigned and to which professional fees associated with crop certification are charged;
Be It Resolved that the CSGA Members hereby support the direction proposed by the Board as set out in the recitals of this resolution.
3. Resolution #3
WHEREAS the CSGA is considering a temporary fee increase designed to generate up to $500,000 for modernization and consolidation initiatives and up to $500,000 for employee “defined benefit” pension plan termination costs associated with the implementation of CSGA’s Strategic Plan and the White Paper;
AND WHEREAS it is noteworthy that these measures, if implemented, would be for the 2020 crop year only, with the precise level of fee increases and their allocation across different fee categories to be determined by the CSGA Board;
AND WHEREAS requirements beyond the 2020-21 fiscal year will be assessed on an annual basis and communicated to members at and/or following the 2020 Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg, Manitoba;
Be It Resolved that the CSGA Members hereby support the direction proposed by the Board as set out in the recitals of this resolution.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
More information about the by-laws of the Association and its finances can be found on the CSGA’s website.
If you wish to learn more about the proposed changes or provide feedback, please contact Glyn Chancey, Executive Director at the CSGA at gchancey@seedgrowers.ca or (613) 236-0497, ext. 224.
