Seed regulation consultation results released

CFIA 'anticipates' more consultations this winter

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Published: October 23, 2023

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is getting closer to updating its seed regulations.

On Monday, the agency released a “What We Heard” report summarizing the responses of 315 individuals and groups who participated in an online survey from Feb. 15 to May 1.

The CFIA is looking to update seed regulations to “reduce complexity, protect producers and consumers by strengthening existing rules and adapt to future technical advances and innovation.”

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The online consultation is part of the process to alter the seeds regulations.

The CFIA was looking for feedback on variety registration, sampling testing and grading of seed, harvesting, cleaning seed and conditioning and seed crop certification.

In its report, the CFIA said a large share of the 315 respondents, including seed growers, farmers, commodity groups and plant breeders, supported the following recommendations:

  • Setting up a national variety registration system.
  • Developing a regulatory pathway for heritage and heirloom varieties.
  • Forming regional recommending committees with the authority to recommend placing a regional restriction on a variety registration in their specific region.
  • Continuing one national body establishing and determining the seed crop varietal purity standards to issue a seed crop certificate.
  • Making the purity standards for No. 1 and No. 2 grades the same.

“Variety registration creates a high level of trust as the quality of traits is consistent in the seed and crops grown in Canada,” the CFIA said, summarizing the comments on the national variety registration system.

“That equips farmers to make decisions about what they grow while maintaining end-user confidence for products to be in a competitive market.”

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There was mixed support for other ideas to modernize the seeds regulations.

For instance, respondents aren’t sure it’s a good idea for someone other than the CFIA to deliver training to licensed seed crop inspectors.

The CFIA will consider the input from the online survey when it eventually modernizes the seeds regulations.

However, the agency “anticipates” more consultations on seed regulatory modernization this winter.

— Robert Arnason reports for the Winnipeg bureau of the Western Producer.

About the author

Robert Arnason

Robert Arnason

Reporter

Robert Arnason is a reporter with The Western Producer and Glacier Farm Media. Since 2008, he has authored nearly 5,000 articles on anything and everything related to Canadian agriculture. He didn’t grow up on a farm, but Robert spent hundreds of days on his uncle’s cattle and grain farm in Manitoba. Robert started his journalism career in Winnipeg as a freelancer, then worked as a reporter and editor at newspapers in Nipawin, Saskatchewan and Fernie, BC. Robert has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Manitoba and a diploma in LSJF – Long Suffering Jets’ Fan.

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