Upcoming Seeds Canada Vote: Letter to Members

June 19, 2020

Be Informed — Have Your Say

Learn more here.

As you may be aware, the CSGA, along with the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA), the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC), the Canadian Seed Institute (CSI), the Canadian Plant Technology Agency (CPTA) and CropLife Canada (CLC), has been participating in the Seed Synergy Collaboration Project for the last several years. The current Project priority is the establishment of a single national seed organization, through the amalgamation of 5 of the 6: the CSGA, the CSTA, the CPTA, the CSI, and the CSAAC. By consolidating these five (5) associations, the CSGA Board of Directors believes that their members and the Canadian seed and agriculture sectors will be better served.

We are therefore pleased to announce that the CSGA Board of Directors as well as those of the CSTA, the CPTA, the CSI and the CSAAC, are formally recommending that their respective memberships approve amalgamation, with a view to establishing a new national seed organization, entitled Seeds Canada, by February 1, 2020. The Amalgamation Agreement and supporting documentation (the Amalgamation Ratification Package) approved by the 5 organizations’ Boards of Directors, is accessible for your consideration here.

Amalgamation Ratification

Beginning on July 15, 2020 and continuing to August 27, 2020, you will have the opportunity to vote in favour of or against this proposed Agreement. In the interim, we will be providing you multiple ways in which to increase your understanding of the proposed Amalgamation Agreement as well as the shared Seed Synergy partners’ vision for Seeds Canada and the Canadian seed sector. We will also be sending you a voting package in early July 2020 by mail.

This summer, please take the time required to ensure that you will be able to make an informed decision on the amalgamation proposal. Over the coming months, we hope to hear from you and to generate a meaningful dialogue amongst our members and with those of our partner organizations.

Get Informed and Engaged

To prepare for your vote, CSGA has provided the ratification documents for the proposed amalgamation ratification on our website linked below. We encourage you to review these documents.

The week of June 22, 2020, we will be releasing a pre-recorded information webinar to supplement the Amalgamation Ratification Package. This will be followed by a series of virtual Town Hall sessions to ask any questions and hear from fellow CSGA members. These meetings will run June through August. Town Hall dates and registration details will be made available shortly.

We are at an important crossroads for the Canadian seed sector and it is your moment to stand up and be counted.