18 THE CAAR COMMUNICATOR PROTECTING CANADIAN COMPETITIVENESS As most of you are aware, SeCan is the largest supplier of certified seed to Canadian farmers. It has over 600 independent seed business members spread across the country who are engaged in seed production, processing, and marketing. The key word in that opening above is “certified,” something that is near and dear to the heart of the private, not-for-profit association. The primary goal of SeCan is to access and promote leading seed genetics and ensure that the rights of those developing the seed retain their copyright. Formed in 1976, SeCan currently has more than 400 different certified seed varieties being used in fields across Canada, including cereals, oilseeds, pulses, legumes, special crops, and even grasses. The association said that most of the seed varieties it distributes were developed by Canadian public plant breeding organizations such as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provincial ministries of agriculture, and universities, though it also distributes some seed varieties from private and foreign companies. This magazine talked with CAAR member Todd Hyra, the Western Business Manager of SeCan. Working for SeCan for the past 17 years, he also spent 17 years before that with another seed company. And, said Hyra, he grew up on a farm in the northwestern area of Manitoba—currently being run by his brother and dad—which was diverse when he was growing up, but now it grows only grain. With all this growing experience revolving around seeds, Hyra said it is important to remind farmers and retailers about ensuring everyone is kept abreast of the legal use of certified seeds. “Certain crops are fine,” he began. “If you think about hybrid canola or corn, those are all in a bag; they’re grown, sold by retailers, grown by farmers, and it’s virtually 100 percent certified seed usage,” said Hyra, adding that because the seeds are certified, the seed breeders are getting rewarded on every acre. He noted that soybeans aren’t far off of that, either, with patents protecting those seeds, “and so many of those are very high-certified seed usage,” he continued. “But when it comes to cereals—specifically in western Canada—there’s a long-standing tradition of farms saving seed.” And while he noted that it’s fine to save seed for use by yourself later, troubles arise when the seed is ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW Why you need to remain an educator to your customers regarding the rules of Canadian-certified seed. Andrew Joseph, Editor Ripe grains of wheat make a perfect frame, a reminder that Canada is one of the largest grain exporters in the world. Oleksandr Baranov/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
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