b'MESSAGES | Alberta Seed GrowersGREETINGS TO EVERYONE, Weve reached that time of year when yet another busy growing season is behind us. As 2019 winds down, now is the time to look ahead to future opportunities and successes. But big opportunities dont just happen, they are the result of hard work, devotion and change, and they can only truly blossom after a small seed has been planted and nurtured. I thought about this a lot over the summer. For starters, our family welcomed a new little seed grower this June. As we learned how to care for our new addition and watched him grow, I realized that there are many parallels between our families and the business we are in. That is, the more you nurture that small seed and learn to understand it, the more it can flourish. The same can be said for the work of the Alberta Seed Growers board, who this summer, was planting and nurturing small seeds for our industry as they forged new connections, highlighted industry challenges and continued important discussions. One way your Alberta Seed Growers board of directors is working toward opportunities was by meeting with our newly elected Agriculture and Forestry Minister, the Honorable Devin Dreeshen. When meeting with Minister Dreeshen the board highlighted several challenges that Albertan seed growers are facing, including the issue of Fusarium graminearum (Fg) and the need for more options to manage it aggressively and effectively. The board shared that finding new, innovative ways to support and enhance seed and agronomy research is essential for the future quality(780) 554-5945 and quantity of Alberta crops. And the board highlighted the need for reliable [email protected] so seed growers and farmers can benefit from successful public and private plant @AntonLakeFarms breeding programs.The board also spent the summer working on other important seed grower concerns. In particular, the challenge of obtaining crop insurance was discussed and the board began conversations with the insurance industry around new products to allow seed growers to insure for such things as plant breeder seed cost and seed crop failure. At the national level, the Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA) has been busy setting the stage for a single-window seed system. Our board of directors and our members are contributing to that conversation, representing ASG at the CSGA/Canadian Seed Trade Association Joint Annual Meeting this summer and speaking up about the current issues impacting their businesses. Directly related to this is news that StrategyCorp was commissioned to work on the Seed Synergy Collaboration Project. Earlier this fall, StrategyCorp interviewed members of CSGA and members of the five other Seed Synergy Project organizations, and will develop a plan to combine six unique seed organizations over the coming months. Keep an eye on our website to learn more about the progress toward Seed Synergy. Tackling the fusarium issue, trying to obtain crop insurance, the creation of a single-window seed system and supporting research and innovation are all big, ambitious goals. Right now were starting small, with conversations, meetings and ideas. After all, big opportunities and changes all stem from a small, nurtured seed. Thanks everyone for your continued support,Renee HoymePresidentAlberta Seed Growers4seed.ab.ca'