Seed Driven Innovation - Plant Breeding: The Key to the Future - CSTA made a presentation to the International Hutterite Educational Conference last week. The message to audience of almost 300 educators and colony members was that investment in seed driven innovation is essential to maintaining competitiveness and addressing the challenges facing the world's food producers. You can find the presentation here. If you wish to use the presentation yourself, just contact the office and ask for the presentation in PowerPoint .

Seed Related Education in Canada - In order to continue to compensate for attrition, be competitive and meet world demands, the seed indusry requires over 600 graduates from seed related educational programs annually. According to a study done for CSTA by Dr. Bryan Harvey, current output from both national and international sources is insufficient to meet the demand. Dr. Harvey's study examined enrolment, graduates and the availability of programming in post secondary education, and found that there is a serious shortfal of plant breeders and of programs to train plant breeders in Canada, throughout the U.S., Australia and in Western Europe. His paper makes a number of recommendations to help rectify the situation. The recommendations are currently under consideration by CSTA's External Relations work group. Find the paper here.

Consultations - a new space on the website that puts all of the on-going consultative processes in one spot. CSTA members can review all of the ongoing government consultative processes that could impact their businesses, and make input. Where CSTA has provided input, our submission will also be included on the site. Find the new Consultations Site Here

Certified Seed - You're Planting Success - another new space on CSTA's website dedicated to providing information on the benefits of certified seed. Find the new Certified Seed Site Here.

Intellectual Property Protection - Investing in the Future - We have also created a new space on the website dedicated to providing information about Intellectual Property Protection. Find it Here.

Presentations from CSTA conventions - you can find all the presentations from past meetings in one place. Here

Variety is Life - the United Nations has designated 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. The International Seed Federation has produced a most excellent video to celebrate seed's contribution to biodiversity. Watch it below.

Bill C-474- is a Private Member's Bill in the House of Commons, that would amend Canada's seed regulations to require an export market assessment before any genetically modified variety could be sold. CSTA's policy is in support of science based regulations, and specifically states opposition to including export market assessments as part of the regulatory system. Find CSTA's letter to Members of Parliament here.

Respect the Refuge - CSTA is proud to work with Seed Corn Companies and the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition to make farmers aware of stewardship requirements for insect protected corn. For information on Respect the Refuge campaign follow this link. If you are a seed corn company and you wish to use the image and logo. Log in to the CSTA members only website for the agreement. If you are not a CSTA member, contact the CSTA office for information.

Weed Seeds Order Review - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is consulting on proposed revisions to the Weed Seeds Order. CSTA staff are working with a small working group to develop CSTA's input to the consultations. The CSTA submission will be posted here when it is complete. In the mean time, you can find the CSTA summary of the proposals here.

You can also find the entire CFIA consultation document here

Canada's Seed Sector Contributes Billions to Canada's Economy - Canada's seed sector is a key economic driver, contributing $3.95 billion to the Canadian economy and employing over 14,000 Canadians. That is the conclusion of a study commissioned by the CSTA. The survey based study was conducted over the spring and summer of 2008 for the year 2007. You can find more information on the results of the study here.

Grow Canada Coalition - CSTA is a founding member of the Grow Canada Coalition. Grow Canada is a value chain organization with membership from all along the value chain, from input suppliers, through producers, processors and consumers. It's mandate is to promote an environment that supports innovation. Find Grow Canada's vision for 2015 here.

Grow Canada will hold its first national convention in December, 2009 in Calgary. CSTA is a co-host of the meeting, and CSTA's President is the Co-Chair. Find more information on the Convention here.

Innovation Through Biotechnology - Article Published in the Lethbridge Herald. CSTA was asked by the editorial staff at the Lethbridge Herald, to write an article on biotechnology. The article was published October 17, and can be found here.

Variety Registration - Amendments to Seeds Regulations and Schedule 3. CSTA has provided detailed comments on the proposed regulatory changes to implement a three-part variety registration system. Read the CSTA submission here.

List of Corn Hybrids Commercially Available in Canada
This list, developed in conjunction with the Ontario Corn Committee, identifies the corn hybrids currently available in Canada. It identifies the traits the hybrids carry, the heat units required and the date the hybrid was first commercialized. It also identifies those hybrids that are Market Choices™. The list will be updated twice each year.

 

 

 

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