Canada
April 8, 2024

Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) was framed as the opportunity for the Canadian agriculture sector to modernize seed regulations and enable the seed sector to better deliver the commercial seed products that farmers and grain markets need for future success. Seeds Canada, the national seed value chain organization, has been consulting members and stakeholders since before the SRM consultation window even opened, in an attempt to accurately convey the needs of the sector and represent the diversity of operations, as well as to streamline legislation so that cost of regulation is proportional to mitigated risk, while striving to find a mechanism for more timely and less resource intensive updates in the future.

Seeds Canada is the voice of the Canadian seed sector, representing seed growers, 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 worldwide, for the benefit of thriving food systems, sustainable environments, and successful businesses. Delivering innovation is our members’ job. To be successful at that, the cost of delivering quality seed must be kept as low as possible. Farmers know what they need from the seed system with regards to testing and information, and they know there is a point of optimization where steps taken beyond this point do not pay for themselves. At the end of the day, all costs are passed on to the farmer- the price taker- and the seed sector takes this seriously. If farmers are successful, so are we. Of course, the opposite is true as well.

The CFIA’s Winter 2024 Seed Regulatory Modernization Consultation (excluding seed potatoes) opened for feedback on February 9. This online survey covers Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) task team topics: variety registration, seed testing, common seed, and seed exports and imports. It also covers alternative proposals that were submitted through the SRM Working Group. Through extensive consultation with members and stakeholders, Seeds Canada has developed responses to the CFIA survey question. On Tuesday, members will receive Seeds Canada’s organizational survey responses, which they can adapt to their own submissions.

To read the Summary of Seeds Canada Draft Responses, click HERE

Published: April 9, 2024