Announcing the winners of the Marie-Greeniaus-Award 2020

Ottawa – Seeds Canada is pleased to announce the 2020 Marie Greeniaus Outstanding Achievement Award winners. “On behalf of Seeds Canada, I’d like to congratulate Chantal Lecavalier of Sollio Agriculture and Morgan Webb of Seed Check Technologies Inc., who have been awarded the 2020 Marie Greeniaus Outstanding Achievement Award,” said Lorne Hadley, Director of Member Relations.

The CSAAC Outstanding Achievement Award was established in 2005 to recognize seed analyst members who have made a significant contribution to the professionalism of seed science, seed testing, education, leadership, research, and the growth of the seed industry community. The award is fondly remembered as the Marie Greeniaus Outstanding Achievement Award after being renamed in 2006. 

“The planned announcement of the winners of the Marie Greeniaus Outstanding Achievement Award in 2020 did not take place due to the pandemic, so to rectify this, we are making the announcement today. We also look forward to honouring them during our Vitual Semi-Annual meeting on November 20, 2023,” Hadley added. 

About the winners

Chantal Lecavalier: Chantal is a dedicated team player passionate about performance and agriculture. Chantal has been with Sollio Agriculture for 35 years. As Seed Quality Manager, she manages the seed laboratory, customer service and network operations. Her colleagues recognize her for her strong sense of rigour, ambition, and human touch.

Over the years, Chantal has gained a wealth of experience in the seed sector. She gained this experience being a seed analyst, seed grader, seed importer, and an auditor for Seeds Canada’s RSE program. 

She has also served on numerous committees, including the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC), of which she was the most recent President. Chantal is a leader in the Quebec seed industry and has a long history of advocacy for analysts and the seed industry. She was instrumental in creating a Quebec regional position on the CSAAC board and ensuring that French seed analysts were involved in the association and the industry. Chantal is accredited by CFIA as an Operator of an Approved Conditioner and of an Authorized Importer. 

Through her many roles, Chantal has developed a broad understanding of the seed industry, including finance, management, import/export, laws, and regulations. She is a member of Seeds Canada’s Seed Testing and Quality Assurance Steering Committee. Chantal is recognized for her experience, expertise, and commitment to excellence in promoting and growing the seed sector in Canada.

Morgan Webb: Morgan grew up in a farming, agronomy, and botany family on a beef and dairy farm in the foothills of southern Alberta. He graduated with honours from Olds College with a major in Soil Resource Management. Morgan moved to Edmonton to work on Pioneer Hi-Bred Production’s canola breeding research trials. He later joined United Grain Growers’ seed lab as a winter diversion. Morgan was self-taught and became fully accredited seed analyst by the CFIA in 1995.

Morgan worked for 20/20 Seed Labs, becoming a Lab Manger during the eight years he worked there. In 2002 he was a founding member of Seed Check Technologies Inc. a fully accredited seed testing laboratory in Leduc, Alberta. Morgan has been an accredited seed grader, seed import conformance assessor (SICA) and a seed crop inspector for over 30 years. He has trained hundreds of seed graders at Seed Check and in conjunction with Seeds Canada and their new grader training program.

He has served on the board of the Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC) for over 20 years in the roles of President, Western Director, member of the Examination Committee and the Referee and Research Committee. He has served on the ISST, CSI and Seed Grain Advisory Boards, as well as the CFIA, SRM Task Teams and CSGA.

Seeds Canada is the leading voice of the Canadian seed industry, representing seed producers, analysts, breeders, distributors, processors, retailers, service providers and all stakeholders along the seed value chain from coast to coast. Our mandate is to support the growth of the seed sector in Canada and globally, with a focus on plant breeding innovation, seed regulatory modernization, international trade, value creation and plant breeders’ rights.

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Contacts:

Lorne Hadley (English)

Lise Newton (French)