Canadian Seed Growers Association holds virtual annual meeting just before voting starts on formation of Seeds Canada
One of Canada’s oldest agriculture organizations is going boldly where it has never gone before — into cyberspace.
The Canadian Seed Growers Association, established in 1904, held its annual general meeting online last week.
More than 100 CSGA members from across the country joined the meeting. It marked the first time CSGA members were able to vote remotely on resolutions.
“It exceeded my expectations,” said outgoing CSGA president Jonathan Nyborg when asked about the online experience.
“You always want to hear from your members and you can do that very easily when you’re meeting face-to-face,” he added.
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“In a venue like this (online), it’s a little bit harder to have that conversation from the floor … but given the situation that we’re in, I think it went really well.
“I think the preference would always be to have (the AGM) in person but … it also shows us that for future meetings and future AGMs, we have that ability to tie into the entire membership remotely if we want to.”
CSGA’s online meeting, held July 7, could be the first and last online meeting ever held by the 116-year-old organization.
That’s because CSGA members are considering a proposal to amalgamate with four other organizations involved in the Canadian pedigreed seed sector.
If approved, the proposed formation of Seeds Canada would see the CSGA merge with the Canadian Seed Trade Association, the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, the Canadian Seed Institute and the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada.
The memberships of all five organizations are required to approve the merger proposal for the amalgamation to proceed.
CSGA members are expected to vote on the proposal in an online ballot beginning July 15.
During their online AGM, a number of CSGA members raised concerns with the amalgamation proposal, expressing the need for greater clarity on the current financial situation of other organizations involved in the merger.
Under the amalgamation proposal, each organization’s assets and liabilities would be inherited by the new organization.
Some CSGA members said they have not yet seen the audited financial statements of the other organizations involved. That information is important to making an informed decision, they argued.
CSGA members also passed resolutions that would allow the concerns of dissenting seed growers to be shared online.
Nyborg, a pedigreed seed grower from New Brunswick, said he was pleased with the debate that took place.
“There’s obviously a few things that we’ve maybe missed and this gives us a chance to pick up on those issues, make some adjustments and ensure that we’ve got all the information that our members are looking for,” Nyborg said.
“We know there’s some resistance to the amalgamation and we also know there’s a lot of people that are certainly in favour of it.…
“I think that’s par for the course. That’s what makes an organization operate well is when you have a membership that’s engaged.”
Nyborg said some CSGA members have expressed concerns that the voice of pedigreed seed growers would be muted in a new organization. If approved, Seeds Canada’s new membership would include pedigreed seed growers as well as seed developers, ag technology and life science companies, seed labs and farm input suppliers, among others.
“I think one of the common concerns that we’ve been hearing really throughout the process is whether members are losing their voice …,” he said.
“But I don’t think that’s the case. I think within the oversight committee and the work that’s been done there, I think we’ve come out with a good board composition.”
A resolution at the CSGA meeting seeking assurances that CSGA members — pedigreed seed growers — would hold the balance of power on the new Seeds Canada board of directors was narrowly defeated.
