4 | Advancing Seed in Alberta Messages WARD OATWAY GREETINGS. For most of you, this has been yet another challenging harvest as the snow came earlier than expected for a lot of the province. While this has been a tough time, I am always encouraged by the resilience of Alberta’s farmers and I look forward to seeing and commiserating with many of you as we head into the meetings and AGM season this winter. I always find that this is a crucial part of the year where I can reflect on the past growing season and what lessons I can take forward. If you are like me, then you know what a valuable tool the Alberta Seed Guide is in helping you plan ahead for 2019 and beyond. Are you thinking about going with a new variety for next year? The growers documented in this guide have already experienced what you’re looking for and can provide some first-hand advice on varietal performance. The Alberta Seed Guide is here as a resource for you and we hope that you find it helpful in your planning and purchasing decisions. As a quick update, I would like to let you all know that our national body, the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA), along with our Seed Synergy partners, are working to develop a value creation system that helps develop the best of the best new varieties. Our timing coincides with the launch of consultations by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada regarding the future of Plant Breeders’ Rights regulations. These consultations will include discussions on a value creation model in cereals with two options being proposed: an end-point royalty and a trailing royalty system. The Alberta Seed Growers (ASG) via the CSGA, along with our seed industry partners, are focused on developing a model that will foster innovation and encourage investment in the use of pedigreed seed. The value system must create a competitive advantage to those varieties that perform well, those varieties that provide more robust production to the farm. If you have thoughts on this, please reach out to me or our executive director Kelly Chambers. Another important issue on the top of our minds has been Fusarium graminearum (Fg) as it continues to spread throughout the province. We have been in talks with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Minister Oneil Carlier to explore a legislative solution to better deal with this problem. While discussions continue, our consistent standpoint remains that Fusarium is here, and we need to focus on access to all of the control options available. This includes emphasizing to cereal producers how important it is that we all employ the full suite of best management practices. We need to work together on this issue, and our organization will continue to update our members on the tools they need to succeed in mitigating Fusarium’s spread. On a final note, I always encourage readers of this guide to attend a local crop commission meeting this winter to network and learn about the changes that are facing our industry. Please also consider attending the FarmTech Conference which takes place January 29-31 in Edmonton. As one of the host organizations of the event, ASG will be there to provide crucial updates and ensure you take home some valuable new information. Thanks everyone, Ward Oatway President Alberta Seed Growers