Saskatoon, SK, Canada
January 12, 2025
Fourteen farmer and seed advocacy organizations have written to Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Heath MacDonald urging him to listen to Canadian farmers – not multinational seed companies – and abandon proposed restrictions to farmers’ seed saving rights.
Thousands of Canadians signed an e-petition opposing proposed changes making it illegal for farmers to save seed from Plant Breeders’ Rights-protected fruit, vegetable, ornamental and hybrid crop varieties – even after paying royalties.
This change would remove these crops from the “Farmers’ Privilege” clause of the Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) Act, the seed-saving provision Parliament deliberately preserved after rigorous debate in 2015. At that time, lawmakers recognized the importance of seed saving for farm sustainability and food security.
“Parliament made a clear decision to ensure the PBR Act’s farmers’ privilege clause would work for farmers,” said Jenn Pfenning, National Farmers Union President. “The Minister’s response to the e-petition supports the regulatory change, claiming the Act’s seed-saving clause should never have applied to horticultural crops and hybrid varieties. This raises concerns that farmers’ rights are intentionally being narrowed over time. Reinterpreting the law now contradicts Parliament’s decision, takes money out of Canadian farmers’ pockets, enriches the world’s largest seed companies, and ultimately weakens our national food sovereignty.”
Farm organizations warn that the change would force farmers who use these varieties to buy seed or plants every year, increasing costs, weakening autonomy and preventing adaptation to local growing conditions – at a time when farm profitability is already under pressure.
”Since most vegetable seed is bred and sold by foreign corporations, grown abroad, and imported, this change would also make Canada more dependent on other countries for its food supply,” said Katie Fettes, Director of Policy and Research with the Canadian Organic Growers.
The big winners would be the world’s largest seed companies. Six multinational seed companies control 64% of the global commercial seed market: Bayer (23%), Corteva (19%), Syngenta (10%); and BASF, Vilmorin & Cie (Groupe Limagrain) and KWS each with 4%. While they are often associated with field crops like canola, corn and soy, these companies also dominate the vegetable seed market. If the Farmers’ Privilege is removed, these corporations would gain even greater control over Canada’s seed supply.
Ending the Farmers’ Privilege will not compensate for years of government cutbacks that have weakened Canada’s public plant breeding. Farmers are urging the federal government to reinvest in public plant breeding and maintain seed-saving rights. “We need varieties developed for Canada that are regionally adapted and climate-resilient, helping farmers build stronger, more sustainable farms” said Jessica Wood, SeedChange Executive Director.
Organizations opposed to the proposed Farmers’ Privilege restrictions:
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