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Editorial views by Robynne M. Anderson, Publisher and Editor, Issues Ink and Germination, the Magazine of the Canadian Seed Industry

Canada's Seed Sector Review was designed to bring people together to resolve long outstanding issues in seed regulation. As it started out – full of potential – who knew it would become a lightening rod for detractors of the industry?

Yet that’s just what happened. Starting in October 2004, articles appeared criticizing the Review. It was the beginning of a concerted campaign against the findings of the Review which quickly focused on Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR). Now it has grown to include seed quality, pricing, and replanting.

While the Seed Sector Review may have been the lightening rod, clearly there are other underlying issues. Trenton Baisley of FarmPure Seeds captures the concerns. “The seed industry has lost a positive relationship with farmers and farm organizations,” he notes. “We have to explain the role of innovation and the value of quality seed to our customers long before we can address any systemic problems in supplying new varieties to Canadian farmers.”

It seems evident the seed industry as a whole was caught off guard by the growing apathy among farmers to certified seed and, worse, growing antagonism in some instances. The seed sector has always felt it is more closely aligned to its farmer-customers than other ag suppliers. The very reality of seed production makes the seed sector subject to the same vagaries of weather and pests as farmers themselves. There is also the industry’s passionate belief in plant breeding’s role in assuring the success of farmers, helping them to produce healthier, robust crops and better serve markets for food, feed, and fibre.

Some of these impressions may still resonate with some of the ag community, but it is clear they don’t with others. Canada's National Farmers Union (NFU) was very effective in launching criticisms of the seed industry. Here are a few of its comments:

  • “The Seed Sector Review is part of an attempt to construct a financial base for a high-cost, inefficient, and unproductive model of private plant breeding and research.”

  • “Our seeds are created by farmers, not by Monsanto.”

  • “They want to force you to pay every time you save and re-use your own seed on your own farm.”           

  • “Myth: private sector breeding will deliver.”

Members of the seed industry may have been aware that such criticisms exist from certain groups. What may have taken the sector by surprise was the energy poured into sharing these messages. The NFU had success with its “Save our Seeds” campaign at meetings across the country, capturing media attention and getting signatures against PBR. This kind of grassroots, labour-intensive process unfolded nationally and the seed industry was not prepared.

As one colourful seed industry person said, “If we don’t speak up, we’re going to get creamed!”

To prevent that from happening, Germination magazine has created “Sharing the Message”, a program to equip the seed sector with tools to talk about the role quality seed plays.  It includes:

  • Fact sheets on the role of plant breeding, the value of certified seed, and key issues in the seed business

  • Useful messages to incorporate into retailers’ sales materials

  • On-line tools, including customer surveys

  • Ideas for community relations events

  • Complete kits with information on seed and a useful CD-ROM

  • Special information sessions across the country

Please visit http://www.germination.ca to learn more.

Robynne Anderson can be reached at robynne@issuesink.com.

December 2005

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Other editorials
by Robynne Anderson:

Shooting for a goal

Making research a priority


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