This June, it was a privilege to help plan and host the International Seed Testing Association Annual Meeting in Calgary.
Led by Dr. Ruojing Wang, Chief of the Seed Science and Technology Section at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canada’s host committee also included Janek Bartel, Laboratory Manager at SGS in Sherwood Park, and representatives from 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. After two years of planning—and 43 years since Canada last hosted the event—we were proud to welcome record attendance, with seed scientists and industry leaders representing more than 40 countries.
As the host country, Canada was responsible for developing the meeting’s one-day seminar. This gave us an important opportunity to showcase some of the exceptional expertise, innovation, and leadership found across our seed sector.
The seminar opened with a blessing from Elder Ruby Eagle Child, who encouraged us to listen to and learn from one another. Her message was especially fitting for an organization dedicated to international collaboration and the continued development and standardization of seed-testing methods. Throughout the meeting, ISTA was aptly described as a cornerstone of seed quality. For the seed-quality professionals in attendance, there was no shortage of valuable research, technical resources, and meaningful discussion.
We were joined by the honourable Heath MacDonald (virtually) Federal Ag Minister and Tara Sawyer recently appointed to Provincial Ag Minister for Alberta in person. Ernest Allen our ISTA President opened the meeting in conjunction with ISTA Secretary General Andreas Wais and welcomed delegates to Canada.
One of the seminar’s central discussions explored the past, present and future of plant breeding in Canada. Moderated by Doug Miller, former Executive Director of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association, the panel brought together Dr. Curtis Pozniak of the Crop Development Centre, Dr. Logan Skori of AGene and Dr. Jodi Souter of J4 Agri-Science Ltd. Their perspectives highlighted the important role of both public and private plant breeding, as well as the need for continued innovation to build crops capable of responding to changing production conditions and environmental stresses.
A second panel, moderated by Bert Van Duijn, examined the potential of artificial intelligence and its future applications within agriculture and seed science. Futurist Nick Badminton challenged delegates to think boldly about the futures we are creating, while Dr. Jan Slaski discussed the future of hemp breeding and the use of artificial intelligence to identify off-types and escaped plants in seed production. Sandra Ziles also explored the application of machine-learning algorithms to small datasets.
These thought-provoking conversations demonstrated just how quickly machine learning and artificial intelligence have advanced over the past decade. They also offered a glimpse into how profoundly these technologies may reshape seed testing, breeding, agriculture and our everyday lives in the decade ahead.
The seminar’s third panel turned to the regulatory perspective of seed testing. Moderated by Jennifer Scott of Seeds Canada, the discussion reinforced the importance of strong standards, credible testing systems and collaboration among laboratories, regulators and the broader seed industry. Together, these elements support confidence in seed quality and help facilitate the movement of seed across borders.
Bringing ISTA back to Canada was much more than an opportunity to host an international meeting. It was a chance to share Canadian expertise, strengthen global relationships and participate in conversations that will influence the future of seed quality worldwide. We are deeply grateful to the speakers, delegates, sponsors, volunteers and host committee members who made this milestone event possible.
