CSTA Committees

Are standing committees of the membership. Most Committees meet twice a year, generally, but not always at CSTA's conventions. In many cases, the committees appoint working groups to work between committee meetings. Following is a list of CSTA's Committees.

CSTA Biotechnology Committee
Some of the issues on which the Biotechnology Committee has had recent focus include: Plants with Novel Traits; Stewardship of biotechnology traits and varieties; Adventitious/Low Level Presence policy; and International market approvals

• Chair: Shawn Winter, Maizex
• Vice Chair: Conor Dobson, Bayer CropScience
• Secretary: Debbie Stiles, FP Genetics
• Board Liaison: Rod Merryweahter

CSTA Corn, Soybeans and Eastern Cereals Committee
Some of the issues on which the Corn, Soybeans and Eastern Cereals Committee has had recent focus include: Variety registration; Disease and quality management; Corn hybrids; Stewardship of Corn and soybeans and Eastern cereals; Certified seed tax incentive; and Eastern industry and farmer relations

• Chair: Mark Foster, Monsanto Canada
• Vice-Chair: Ron Hathaway, Maizex Seeds
• Secretary: Doug Alderman, Pride Seeds
• Board Liaison: Archie Wilson

CSTA Forage and Turf Committee
Some of the issues on which the Forage and Turf Committee has had recent focus include: Variety registration; Phytosanitary issues for forage and tuf seed trade; International Market Access; Field inspection and certification; Label and tag terminology; and Grade tables and weed seeds order.

• Chair: Raymond Walker, Moores Seed Processors
• Vice-Chair: Mark Torrey, Seed-Link
• Secretary: Bob Dippel, Speare Seeds
• Board Liaison: Wayne Unger

CSTA Intellectual Property Committee
Some of the issues on which the Intellectual Property Committee has had recent focus include: Canada's intellectual property toolbox and competitivness; Communication campaigns on intellectual property protection; Canada's Plant Breeders Rights Act; the International Union for the Protection of Plant Varieties (UPOV); Variety names; and Plant variety patents.

• Chair: Ron Weik, FP Genetics
• Vice-Chair: Lorne Hadley, Canadian Plant Technology Agency
• Secretary: Dave Harwood, Pioneer Hi-Bred
• Board Liaison: Jeff Reid

CSTA Oilseeds, Pulses and Western Cereals Committee|
Some of the issues on which the Oilseeds, Pulses and Western Cereals Committee has had recent focus include: Variety registration; Seed Tags and labelling; Grain Act and Kernel Visual Distinguishability; and Disease and quality management . This committee also oversees an independent Hybrid Canola Seed Production Sub-Committee.

• Chair: Ron Weik, FP Genetics
• Vice-Chair: Dan Smith, Monsanto Canada
• Secretary: Ron DePauw, Viterra
• Board Liaison: Peter Entz

CSTA Researchers West Committee and Researchers Committee East
These committees do not generally meet at CSTA conventions. Instead their meetings are held in conjunction with important Variety Recommending Committees(WCC/RRC). The Researchers West Committee generally meets in conjunction with the Western Canadian Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee meetings and the Researchers East Committee has been meeting at the time of the Ontario Oil, Protein Seed Committee (OOPSC). These committees share updates on new technologies and regulatory issues affecting research and plant breeding. They also help to prepare CSTA's representatives to recommending committees, and focus on international agreements and conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Access and Benefits Sharing Agreement, and other agreements on the sharing of Genetic Resources.