Canada’s agriculture industry and its needs and demands for seeds have not changed at all since the early 1900s, when the Seed Act was first enacted. The law has gone through several changes since it was enacted, but the federal government began a serious modernization of the seed industry four years ago.
Now, through the second consultation reception of the Seed Regulation Modernization (SRM) process, industry stakeholders are beginning to see what is taking shape and are awaiting the second report from the government.
Seeds Canada has been an active participant in the process since its inception, ensuring that not only the needs of farmers are prioritized, but that the seed industry as a whole is well positioned for future success. We have been promoting this. .
Seeds Canada CEO Barry Senft said farmers are highlighting three priorities for the sector.
- Access to new technology.
- Affordable seed costs. and,
- Competition within the industry
In the discussion below, Senft explains why each of these points is so important to farmers and how they can be addressed within the SRM process. (more below player)
Lauren Comin, policy director at Seeds Canada, explains that from an industry perspective, it is also important that this modernization process progresses far enough to truly transform the evolution of Canada’s seed industry. There are concerns that when this process ends in 2025, the level of modernization will not be adaptive enough to meet future challenges.
The Canadian Seed Board is calling for three important changes to the Seed Act. It incorporates by reference, establishes an independent advisory board and has a governance structure that reflects the modern sector and allows it to continue to compete.
“Innovation is happening rapidly, and we need to enable continuous improvement and keep the pace of innovation so that the seed industry is not left behind,” says Kamin.
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