b'SEEDS CANADASeeking Unity Amid UncertaintyAs Seeds Canada moves ahead with four partners instead of five, the seed industry attempts to mend fences as it determines a clear path forward.FOR ANDREW AYRE, there isnt a worse time than right nowThe CSGA is the lone organization which did not achieve to try and find consensus in an industry responding to thethe two-thirds level of voting member support required for the results of the August Seeds Canada voting results. proposed amalgamation. Fifty-five percent of the 751 CSGA With the whole pandemic situation, people have so manyvotes cast were against the proposed merger. The other four other concerns. Theyre not getting together socially toorganizations involvedthe Canadian Plant Technology get feedback from each other and have good, constructiveAgency (CPTA); Commercial Seed Analysts Association of discussions. Its an unusual time where people are isolated fromCanada (CSAAC); Canadian Seed Institute (CSI); and Canadian one another, and for many that made the vote kind of a non- Seed Trade Association (CSTA)all voted yes to the proposal.event, says the past-president of the Manitoba Seed Growers Association. Vocal MinorityRenee Hoyme, president of the Alberta Seed Growers, echoesThe amalgamation vote was the culmination of five years of similar sentiments when it comes to timing. Seed growers arework by the Seed Synergy partners (made up of the five Seeds busy pretty much all the time, but harvest season makes it evenCanada organizations and CropLife Canada). According to more difficult to get a handle on the current moment and whatsources, over $2 million was invested during this period, almost the next steps might be after the vote, she says. half of which was spent on the Seeds Canada amalgamation Everyones been busy in the field. I reallyproject. havent heard much of anything after theThe boards of the five Seed Synergy partners recommended vote. It kind of just happened and thenthe proposed amalgamation to their members in June 2020. fell by the wayside for most people asCSGA member opposition began to surface in mid-July. it was time to get out into the field. Negative sentiment increased in early August when growers Back in August, the Seedreceived email correspondence opposing the amalgamation. Synergy partners announcedMomentum shifted in favour of the no side shortly thereafter.that the proposal to form aEven though only 22 per cent of eligible CSGA members cast national seed organizationa vote, Hoyme notes engagement was higher than typically seen would not go ahead as planned,due to the fact voting was done remotely.after Canadian Seed GrowersMaking the decision to do distance voting helped in that we Association (CSGA) membershad bigger turnout than youd see at a regular annual general voted down the proposal tomeeting, but the turnout still wasnt what you want to see for amalgamate the industrys fivesomething as huge as an amalgamation proposal, Hoyme says.dedicated seed associations intoAccording to Eric McLean, who represents Manitoba seed one. growers on the CSGA national board and was to sit on the 14seed.ab.ca'