Effective date: April 1, 2026
(forth revision)
This directive describes the requirements for the Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program.
Seed potato growers or their designated representatives must meet requirements in order to obtain and use the forms for seed potato certification tags (1370, 2111 and 2113) and the form for records of bulk movement for seed potatoes (2343) for eligible domestic shipments of seed potatoes.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will conduct audits of participating seed potato growers and farm units to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Seeds Regulations Part II and conformance with the program conditions as described in this program.
Latest revisions
This directive has been revised to reflect changes in terminology to support the integration of the Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program into the CFIA's digital platform. No changes have been made to the requirements of the program.
This directive supersedes all previous versions.
On this page
- 1. Legislative authority
- 2. Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms
- 3. Introduction
- 4. Scope
- 5. Program registration
- 6. Inspection procedure
- 7. Specific requirements
- 8. CFIA audits
- Appendix 1: Program terms and conditions
- Appendix 2: Designated representatives list
- Appendix 3: Specific quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests
- Appendix 4: Request for seed potato certification tags or record of bulk movement for seed potatoes
- Appendix 5: Shipment record logs
1. Legislative Authority
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act
- Plant Protection Act
- Plant Protection Regulations
- Seeds Act
- Seeds Regulations
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice
2. Definitions, abbreviations and acronyms
Additional definitions for terms can be found in the Plant health glossary of terms.
3. Introduction
The Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program is an inspection program that seed potato growers can become authorized to conduct shipping-point tuber inspections for domestic shipments of seed potatoes. Seed potato growers authorized under this program have the flexibility to perform shipping-point tuber inspections and issue some related seed potato documents or appoint a designated representative to perform this function on the grower's behalf. This program is available to all domestic shipments of seed potatoes of registered varieties and garden varieties.
This program does not address inspection and document issuance for shipments to any market outside of Canada and shipments of seed potatoes of the nuclear s tock class. In addition, participants in the program may not issue documentation for Breeders' Selection or for domestic shipments of seed potatoes of a variety not registered in Canada.
4. Scope
This directive establishes the criteria for the assessment, approval and program maintenance for authorized growers, as well as the suspension of the grower's registration, if necessary. The program also provides specific requirements for the issuance of seed potato certification tags (seed potato tags) and record of bulk movement for seed potatoes (record of bulk movement) in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II. The program conditions establish the responsibilities for record keeping, document maintenance and training for program participants. The criteria and procedures used to audit operations of participating growers are detailed below. This directive also provides guidelines to determine the level of conformance for growers participating in the program.
4.1 Fees
The CFIA is charging fees in accordance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice. For more information, contact any local CFIA office.
4.2 Regulated Articles
Seed potatoes of a registered variety certified as Pre-Elite, Elite I, Elite II, Elite III, Elite IV, Foundation, or Certified class as per Seeds Regulations Part II section 47.
5. Program registration
To be eligible for this program, the applicant must:
- be a seed potato grower in Canada who has received a growing crop certificate (CFIA-ACIA 1318) issued by the CFIA for the current shipping year.
- review the contents of policy directive D-06-04 and the information package provided by the CFIA
- not have a registration that is currently suspended
Growers who only produce nuclear stock or breeder's selection seed potatoes are not eligible for participation in the program.
Although seed potato growers that do not require the frequent use of seed potato tags or records of bulk movement may be eligible for participation in the program, the current program is not recommended for these seed potato growers.
5.1 Application process
A seed potato grower wishing to participate in the program, can apply by submitting a new service request through their My CFIA account.
My CFIA uses the term "preventive control inspection" in place of "audit" and "terms and conditions" in place of "requirements".
5.2 Authorization and notification process
If a grower's application is accepted, the CFIA will authorize the grower and issue a confirmation of registration. The grower is responsible for operating in conformance with the terms and conditions of the program.
If a grower's application is denied, the CFIA will deny the request for registration through the My CFIA account.
5.3 Multiple registrations
A grower may choose to include all their farm units under one registration service request, or a grower may submit a service request for each separate farm unit they operate. If a grower chooses to register each separate operation, the grower must provide a written justification on how each individual farm unit will:
- meet the definition for 'farm unit' in the Seed Regulations Part II (separate growing crop certificates)
- maintain appropriate phytosanitary segregation between the farm units under each registration or disinfect any shared equipment between farm units, and
- keep the record keeping and documentation for the program completely separate for each farm unit.
If the farm units are not appropriately segregated or documentation pertaining to each individual unit is not available at any time during operation under multiple registrations, the grower's registrations will no longer be considered as separate.
If the farm units are separate, the grower or designated representative must issue the proper documentation for all lots when transferring potatoes between the separate farm units.
5.4 Designated representatives
Only the grower may designate representatives to conduct activities on their behalf. Prior to a designated representative commencing activities on behalf of the grower, the grower must provide the CFIA with a completed designated representatives list – program (Appendix 2) that lists all designated representatives for the farm unit.
A designated representative may:
- request seed potato tags and records of bulk management
- perform tuber inspections
- complete and issue seed potato tags and records of bulk management, and
- fulfill other documentation requirements on behalf of the grower
No party other than a designated representative shall perform tuber inspections or complete documents on behalf of the grower. In addition, the grower must notify the CFIA of any change in the status of any designated representative.
Although the grower may designate representatives, the grower remains responsible for the proper use of seed potato tags and records of bulk management. The grower also remains responsible for the shipments' compliance with the standards for tubers and packaging requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and the seed potato tuber grade sizes or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement. By identifying an individual as a designated representative, the grower is attesting that the designated representative has been adequately trained, and that the grower remains responsible for the actions of the designated representative when operating on behalf of the grower. The CFIA will accept designated representatives listed on the grower's designated representatives list (Appendix 2) if the CFIA inspector is satisfied with the documentation or information provided by the grower on the designated representatives' level of training.
5.5 Training
Training for growers and designated representatives can take many different forms, including grower supplied training for designated representatives, working with a CFIA inspector, reviewing the self-guided training developed by the CFIA and attending CFIA provided training sessions.
The grower is responsible to ensure all designated representatives are sufficiently trained on the program and all program updates.
6. Inspection procedure
PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection describes the procedures to be implemented in the tuber inspection process to ensure that seed potatoes shipped by the authorized grower meets the standards for tubers and packaging requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and the seed potato tuber grade sizes or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement. The key components of the PI-009 include inspection rates, procedures for tuber inspection, instructions on document issuance, and appendices to aid in the identification and classification of tuber diseases and defects.
7. Specific requirements
Growers participating in the program must ensure that all seed potato shipments meet the pre-requisites of the program (bacterial ring rot testing, disinfection of bulk truck, etc.) and are inspected in accordance with this policy directive and PI-009. In addition, a grower participating in the program must ensure that all seed potato tags and records of bulk movement are issued in accordance with the conditions specified in the program and the requirements in the Seeds Regulations Part II.
7.1 General seed potato lot eligibility
Seed potato lots that are eligible for shipment under the program must meet the requirements outlined in this directive and be listed on a growing crop certificate (CFIA/ACIA 1318) issued by the CFIA.
At the time of document issuance, seed potatoes shipped domestically must be either: a variety registered in Canada under the Seeds Regulations Part III; or, a garden variety as per D-98-04: Seed Potato Program – Certification of garden potato varieties in Canada.
Consult lists of registered varieties or garden varieties, or contact your CFIA local office.
Seed potatoes of varieties not registered under part III of the Seeds Regulations, nuclear stock class and b reeder's selection are not eligible for shipment under the program. A certification of authorization (CFIA/ACIA 4378) issued by a CFIA inspector is required for domestic movement of a non-registered variety. Additional conditions are specified in section 61 of the Seeds Regulations for shipment of breeder's selection. When nuclear stock class seed potatoes of a registered variety are shipped, the CFIA must issue nuclear stock tags (CFIA/ACIA 5298) or nuclear stock certificates (CFIA/ACIA 4351).
A grower or a designated representative who is authorized by the CFIA may conduct inspections of shipments of non-registered varieties and breeder's s election to facilitate the issuance of a c ertification of a uthorization (CFIA/ACIA 4378) by the CFIA inspector for the respective shipment. The inspections of non-registered varieties and Breeder's Selection must be carried out under the conditions of the program . A CFIA inspector may request to see a tuber inspection report prior to issuance of a certification of authorization.
Domestic seed potato shipments which do not meet the standards for tubers due to one defect of a mechanical or physiological nature are not eligible for the issuance of seed potato tags and/or records of bulk movement under the Seeds Regulations Part II. If a grower has received prior permission from the CFIA for a domestic shipment which does not meet the standards for tubers due to one defect of a mechanical or physiological nature, a grower or designated representative should inspect the shipment. A CFIA inspector may issue a special permission for s ale of seed potatoes not eligible for official tags (CFIA/ACIA 1278) authorizing the grower to move the shipment domestically based on the grower's seed potato tuber inspection report (CFIA/ACIA 3076). All conditions stated in PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection for issuance of a special permission for sale of seed potatoes not eligible for official tags (CFIA/ACIA 1278) must be met prior to the issuance of the document.
7.1.1 Testing for the pathogen causing bacterial ring rot
A minimum of two seed lots from the farm unit, and each seed lot being shipped as elite II, elite III, elite IV or foundation class shall have been sampled and laboratory tested in a CFIA approved laboratory as per D-97-12 Seed potato certification program – Bacterial ring rot testing program for field grown seed potatoes. Additionally, all lots that have been laboratory tested for the farm unit must show that the pathogen causing bacterial ring rot was not detected prior to issuing seed potato tags or records of bulk movement and prior to movement of any seed potatoes off the farm unit.
7.1.2 Operation after a grower re-enters the Seed Potato Certification Program following an outbreak of bacterial ring rot
A grower or a grower's designated representative must not issue seed potato tags or records of bulk movement for the classes pre-elite, elite I or elite II after the grower re-enters the seed potato certification program following an outbreak of bacterial ring rot as detailed in Sections 53(6) and 56(9) of the Seeds Regulations Part II. This restriction remains in place for a period of three years after the initial detection of pathogen causing bacterial ring rot on the farm unit.
7.2 Tuber inspection
The grower or designated representative must inspect eligible seed potato shipments to determine compliance with tuber grade sizes and standards as detailed in sections 48 and 48.1 of the Seeds Regulations Part II before seed potato tags or records of bulk movement for the lot may be issued. All required tuber inspections must be performed as outlined in PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection.
7.2.1 Seed potato tuber inspection report
Tuber inspection results must be recorded on a seed potato tuber inspection report and signed by the grower or designated representative(s). The inspection report supports the issuance of seed potato tags or records of bulk movement and the movement of the shipment as seed potatoes to destination.
7.2.2 Sampling for inspection
All tuber samples must be collected as outlined in PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection. Tuber samples must be collected randomly and be representative of the entire volume being assessed for compliance with the tuber grade sizes and standards for tubers.
7.2.3 Quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests
In addition to the pests described in PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection, growers and designated representatives must be able to identify suspect tubers showing symptoms of specified quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests listed in Appendix 3. If tubers are suspected of being infested with a quarantine pest, in accordance with the Plant Protection Act and Plant Protection Regulations, the grower or designated representative must immediately contact the CFIA prior to any further shipment from the farm unit. A CFIA inspector may take samples for further identification and/or laboratory testing at any time.
Reference material to assist in the identification of quarantine pests and regulated non-quarantine pests of concern is available from the local office of the CFIA.
7.3 Issuance of documentation
Seed potato tags may only be issued for seed potatoes which have been or will be inspected before they leave the farm unit in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and as outlined in PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection.
Similarly, records of bulk movement may only be issued once the shipment of seed potatoes has been inspected and determined to be in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and as outlined in the PI-009 and before a shipment leaves the farm unit. Growers or designated representatives are only authorized to issue seed potato tags and records of bulk movement for shipments determined to comply with the Seeds Regulations Part II and III, including all program conditions. Only authorized growers or their designated representatives are allowed to issue the above noted documents. All required bacterial ring rot testing as specified in Directive D-97-12 must be completed. All laboratory results for the farm unit must show that the pathogen that causes bacterial ring rot was not detected before official seed potato tags may be attached to bags, records of bulk movement completed for lots intended for shipment as seed or other shipments moved as seed under a CFIA issued document: certification of a uthorization (CFIA/ACIA 4378).
All seed potato tags shall be removed from packages determined not to meet the standards for tubers and packaging requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and the seed potato tuber grade sizes or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement. records of bulk movement shall not be completed until it is determined that the seed potatoes meet tuber grade sizes, standards for tubers, packaging and disinfection requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement.
The grower must retain all unused or spoilt seed potato tags and records of bulk movement for collection by the CFIA. If the pathogen causing bacterial ring rot has been detected on a farm unit in the previous three years the grower shall not issue seed potato tags or records of bulk movement for pre-elite, elite I and elite II classes of seed potatoes in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II.
7.3.1 Ordering domestic movement documents
Authorized growers or their respective designated representatives must complete, sign and submit the request for seed potato tags or records of bulk movement (Appendix 4) prior to those documents being provided. Growers may wish to develop their own order form customised to their record keeping system; such forms will be accepted provided that the form includes all the information required in Appendix 4. To avoid administrative delays, it is recommended that the request be submitted well in advance. Growers or their designated representatives have the option to complete CFIA supplied pre-printed seed potato tags on their own premises only if; the grower has prior approval from the CFIA and can complete the seed potato tags appropriately. Grower-completed seed potato tags must be accurate and legible. The method used to complete the seed potato tags must be durable so the seed potato tags may be legible after shipping, (for example: inks used on the seed potato tags should be waterproof and fade resistant). For growers or designated representatives not able to complete their own CFIA supplied pre-printed seed potato tags, the CFIA will provide the grower or designated representative with completed seed potato tags.
7.3.2 Control of domestic movement documentation
Seed potato tags and records of bulk movement are non-transferable, shall be kept under the secure control of the grower or designated representative, and shall not be made available to any party other than the CFIA. All un-issued seed potato tags or records of bulk management, whether new, spoiled, voided, removed, or otherwise, shall be retained by the grower and shall only be destroyed by or under supervision of the CFIA. All seed potato tags and records of bulk movement must be returned to the CFIA upon request.
7.3.3 Requirements for seed potato certification tags
- Seed potato tags shall be attached to the containers of seed potatoes that were produced from a crop in respect of which a Growing Crop Certificate (CFIA/ACIA 1318) has been issued. Each container shall be new, closed after packing and have no markings making reference to non-certified seed potatoes
- Seed potato tags shall only be attached to containers of not less than 20 kg. For smaller containers the CFIA must be contacted to obtain a permit relating to packing of seed potatoes (CFIA1347)
- All seed potato tags must include:
- The class, variety and size1 (in mm) of the seed potatoes
- The certification number
- The date of printing of the tag(s)
- A sample from each batch of seed potato tags printed shall be retained on the premises. The sample tag must be proofread, initialled, and dated by the grower or representative prior to affixing any printed seed potato tags to seed potato containers of the respective seed lot and shipment. Sample seed potato tags shall be made available to the CFIA upon request
7.3.4 Requirements for the record of bulk movement for seed potatoes
- For domestic shipments moving within the province in which the seed lot was produced, a single record of bulk movement may be issued for the total volume of a seed lot delivered to a single consignee within a 7-day period. The grower or designated representative must provide the consignee within their province with a record of bulk movement within 7 days of the initial shipment that is covered by the record
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- The record cannot be withheld by the seller for any reason once movement has been completed for any amount of seed
- For domestic shipments moving outside of the province, a record of bulk movement must accompany each bulk shipment of seed potatoes.
- All records of bulk movement issued shall contain the following information:
- The weight (in tonnes), class, variety and size Footnote 1 (in mm) of the seed potatoes
- The certification number
- The name and address of the purchaser Footnote 2
- Grower name and address as the supplier of the seed potatoes
- Signature of grower or a designated representative
- The date of issuance
- The trailer licence or ID number
- The original (white copy) is for the purchaser of the seed potatoes and shall accompany the shipment. The yellow copy shall be retained in the original booklet and made available to the CFIA upon request. The pink copy is for grower records and shall be retained on file
- The grower or the designated representative signing the record of bulk movement must verify and indicate on the shipment log that the vehicle(s) carrying bulk shipments of seed potatoes from the farm unit have been disinfected prior to loading with a control product determined to be effective for use against the pathogen causing bacterial ring rot
If multiple lots are shipped in a single bulk shipment, a grower-supplied label must be securely affixed to each of the containers or lot dividers, to facilitate lot identification of bulk containers such as mini-totes. In addition, a record of bulk movement must accompany every lot of this type of bulk shipment.
All grower supplied labels used to identify bulk containers in a shipment must have the following information clearly printed on it;
- Farm unit or grower name
- Variety
- Class
- Certification number
7.4 Record keeping
The grower or a designated representative must maintain records that will assist the CFIA in the verification that the program conditions have been implemented effectively and are consistently being met. The grower or designated representative must complete the records while the activities being recorded are taking place. In certain cases, growers may wish to develop specific forms customised to their record keeping systems; the use of such forms will be accepted provided they are granted prior approval by a CFIA inspector and as a minimum the forms must collect the equivalent information as the forms supplied by the CFIA. program records must be kept on file at the premises of the grower and remain readily available to CFIA inspectors upon request. Records must be maintained for a minimum of 10 years regardless if the grower's registration has been suspended.
The information maintained by each seed potato growers participating in the program must contain:
- the "tags received" portion of the shipment record log for seed potato certification tags (Appendix 5) completed at the time seed potato tags are printed or received from the CFIA. The remainder of the log sheet completed at the time of shipping
- a shipment record log for the record of bulk movement (Appendix 5) completed at the time of shipping when the record of bulk movement certificates are issued
- a completed seed potato tuber inspection report for all seed potato shipments inspected by an authorized grower
- a designated representatives list (Appendix 2) including when the list has been updated
- copies of all audit reports provided to the grower by the inspector
- copies of all corrective a ction requests issued by the CFIA during surveillance audits and documentation of all corrective actions taken by the grower or designated representative
- Copies of all request for seed potato certification tags or record of bulk movement for Seed Potato forms (Appendix 4)
- Samples of seed potato tags and copies of all records of bulk movement issued including all unused or spoilt seed potato tags and records of bulk movement
- All bacterial ring rot laboratory results for the testing conducted on the farm unit to meet the requirements specified in D-97-12:Bacterial Ring Rot Testing Program for field grown seed potatoes
- Up-to-date copies or access to all of the following documents:
- Seeds Regulations (Part II)
- D-06-04: Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program
- D-97-12: Bacterial Ring Rot Testing Program for field grown seed potatoes (Seed Potato Certification Program)
- PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection
- List of registered varieties in Canada and list of garden varieties (if garden varieties are grown on the farm unit)
- Training materials
- Any other correspondence between the grower or designated representative and the CFIA that relates to the program or the grower's authorization
8. CFIA audits
The CFIA will conduct audits of farm units associated with authorized growers and the CFIA will prepare audit reports that summarize the audit findings. The grower or a designated representative must be available to assist the CFIA in performing all audits. The grower or designated representative must allow the CFIA inspector to examine records and documents, collect samples, conduct tuber inspections, inspect articles, and interview any individual involved in the shipment of seed potatoes and/or the issuance of documentation under the program.
The audit provides a verification that the grower has ensured the procedures described in this directive and other documents associated with the program are implemented and documented in accordance with the program conditions. The CFIA may conduct audits prior to, during and after periods of active shipping. A component of an audit may be to evaluate seed potatoes which have been inspected by the authorized grower or designated representative for compliance with the tuber grade sizes and standards for tubers. Results of all audits shall be communicated to the authorized grower or grower's designated representative in writing. Where a non-conformance is identified, the CFIA will issue a corrective action request to the grower and/or the grower's designated representative. The grower must implement and document the corrective actions taken to address the non-conformance identified in the corrective action request within the time frame specified. Corrective actions shall be verified by the CFIA during subsequent audits or during a timeframe specified by CFIA.
In general, the audits of farm units and facilities from which the authorized grower ships seed potatoes will address the following broad areas:
- The grower understands and complies with the program conditions
- The designated representatives have been adequately trained, understand, and comply with the program conditions
- Only seed potatoes from an eligible seed lot are shipped by the authorized grower
- Required documentation and reference material is sufficient, current and readily available
- The record keeping and document management systems conform to the program conditions
- Corrective actions are completed within the timeframes specified by the CFIA inspector on outstanding corrective action requests
- The entire volume shipped from each shipment is covered by seed potato tuber inspection reports that indicate the lot was sampled at an appropriate frequency and compliance with the tuber grade sizes and standards for tubers
- Proper use and control of CFIA provided seed potato tags and records of bulk movement as per the program conditions
8.1 Re-Inspection
In addition to shipping-point inspection, seed potato lots shipped domestically by an authorized grower may be subject to re-inspection by the CFIA under article 60.1 of the Seeds Regulations Part II. Re-inspection is generally initiated under the following circumstances:
- At the request of the recipient, as per paragraph 60.1(2) of the Seeds Regulations Part II, a request for re-inspection may be made to the CFIA within two working days of receipt of the lot. Growers in receipt of seed potatoes are encouraged to examine each shipment closely upon receipt and contact the local CFIA office within the specified timeframe if it is suspected that the shipment does not comply with the tuber grade sizes, standards for tubers or packaging requirements
The CFIA may re-inspect seed potatoes at any time as per paragraph 60.1(1) of the Seeds Regulations Part II. At any time, the CFIA may verify that the tubers in a shipment and the associated documents issued by an authorized grower comply with tuber grade sizes, standards for tubers or packaging requirements as part of ongoing monitoring.
A seed potato tuber inspection report (CFIA/ACIA 3076) must be completed by the CFIA inspector conducting a re-inspection to document the results of the re-inspection. If any non-conformance as detailed in this directive is noted in the review of the documentation associated with the shipment, the details of the non-conformity must be noted on the report.
If a shipment was re-inspected and the potatoes did not meet the grade standard, the CFIA should promptly follow up with the originating farm unit and conduct an audit to assess the compliance with the program conditions on the farm unit.
If it is appropriate, based on the audit, a corrective action request will be issued and the grower's registration may be suspended. Any non-conformities identified during a re-inspection or audit must be noted in the grower's file and taken into consideration in determining the status of the grower's registration as detailed in section 5.4. A summary of the audit results must be sent by the local office conducting the audit to the operational specialist detailing if a corrective action request was issued as a result of the follow up to the re-inspection.
8.2 Non-conformities
Any procedure, documentation, or article found to be in contravention of the conditions of the program is considered to be a non-conformance. Any non-conformance which is detected must be classified as being critical, major, or minor. The grower's history of compliance with the program conditions and the number and type of non-conformities found during the latest audit are used to determine the compliance status of the grower and will be considered in determining the subsequent audit frequency. The classification of a non-conformance is generally based on an evaluation of the associated risk and whether the integrity of the activities under the program have been compromised. The Audit report: program checklist details specific non-conformities and the suggested classification assigned to each.
8.2.1 Critical non-conformities
Audit findings indicating that the integrity of the activities under the program on a grower's farm unit is in jeopardy shall result in a critical non-conformance. A critical non-conformance may be viewed as something that may affect the integrity of the activities under the program as a whole. If any critical non-conformities are found on a grower's farm unit, the grower's registration will be immediately suspended. Corrective actions must be carried out to the satisfaction of a CFIA inspector within a specified period of time.
8.2.2 Major non-conformities
Major non-conformities are isolated incidents of non-conformance that do not have immediate impacts on the integrity of shipments for which authorized growers have conducted inspections and/or have issued documentation, but which could affect the overall integrity of activities under the program if repeated over time. Corrective actions issued for a major non-conformance must be carried out to the satisfaction of a CFIA inspector within a specified period. If the grower and/or designated representatives of a farm unit fail to carry out the required corrective actions within the specified period, the grower's registration will be suspended.
If two or more major non-conformities are detected in any one audit, this is considered equivalent to one critical non-conformance.
8.2.3 Minor non-conformities
A minor non-conformance is one which does not immediately or significantly affect the status of either the shipments for which authorized growers have conducted inspections and/or have issued documentation, or the program, but could lead to a major non-conformance if not addressed. Corrective actions must be undertaken by the grower and/or designated representatives of a farm unit before the next scheduled audit, or within a shorter period as specified by the CFIA.
If three minor non-conformities are detected in any one audit, this is considered equivalent to one major non-conformance. Therefore, 4 minor non-conformities are equal to one major plus one minor non-conformance. Similarly, six minor non-conformities are equal to two major non-conformities, which constitutes a critical non-conformance, triggering the requirements under section 8.2.1.
8.3 Corrective action request
A corrective action request must be generated for each non-conformance that is detected during the audit of an authorized grower's farm unit. For each corrective action request , the grower or a designated representative must provide a description of the measures that will be implemented to prevent a recurrence of the non-conformance and a time frame for completing the corrective actions.
8.4 Grower status and frequency of audits
The frequency of CFIA audits is determined by the grower's registration status, which is primarily based on the results of the previous audits of the grower's farm unit and the length of time the grower has been a participant in the program. Whenever possible, the timing and frequency of audits should coincide with the inspection of seed potato shipments, such that the inspector can assess the tuber grade sizes, standards for tubers, packaging and disinfection requirements as a component of the audit.
Newly approved growers and growers that have been previously suspended will be placed on conditional status until the conditional period has been completed. The inspection advisor or supervising inspector will make the determination as to the eligibility, approval, and the conformance status of a grower.
All authorized growers that ship potatoes must have their farm units audited at least twice a year, once during active domestic shipping and once after the domestic shipping season has concluded for the year. Additional audits of the farm unit must be conducted at the frequencies specified in section 8.4.1 or 8.4.2, based on the farm unit status, during the domestic shipping season. Audits may also be performed based the conformance history of the grower.
Due to the seasonal nature of the domestic shipping season, and in cases where growers may have extremely short shipping periods ( for example 1-2 weeks), the grower must contact the CFIA prior to and after the domestic shipping season to ensure that the CFIA can perform the required audits. Failure to contact the CFIA prior to starting shipping for the year to arrange for the scheduling of audits will be considered a critical non-conformance resulting in suspension from the program.
8.4.1 Conditional status
For farm units where the grower's registration is under conditional status, in addition to what is required under section 8.4.2 (Standard Status) the audit frequency is maintained at a minimum of once every 2 -week period for the entirety of the shipping season. The 2 -week period starts from the date of the first domestic shipment, or until the farm unit successfully transitions to standard status.
8.4.2 Standard status
For farm units where the grower's registration is under standard status, the audit frequency may be reduced as compared to the conditional status. The farm unit must be audited at least once during active domestic shipping and an additional audit must be conducted after the domestic shipping season has concluded for the year. If a farm unit is shipping for more than four weeks, audit frequency is maintained at a minimum of once every 4-week period during the entire shipping season, starting from the date of the first shipment.
A grower's registration under standard status shall be carried forward to the subsequent shipping season for farm units that remain in conformance with program conditions.
8.4.3 Transition from conditional status to standard status
Growers operating with a registration under conditional status must complete three consecutive audits during which there have been no major or critical non-conformities found on the farm unit before they may be granted standard status. 3 or more incidents of minor non-conformance in a single audit will prevent a grower's registration from transitioning to standard status and the grower's registration will remain at conditional status. The 3 consecutive audits required to move from conditional status to standard status may occur over more than 1 shipping season . Growers will be notified when their registration is converted to standard status in their My CFIA account.
8.4.4 Suspension
If the grower fails to address a corrective action request within the period specified or if a farm unit is found to have an incidence of critical non-conformance or equivalent number of other non-conformities, the grower's registration shall be suspended immediately. Growers that have been suspended cannot inspect and issue documentation for seed potatoes. Suspensions will last until all correction action requests have been addressed to the satisfaction of the CFIA.
If a grower's registration is suspended, all farm units operating under that registration shall be suspended for the same period as the original farm unit. All other farm units operated by the same grower under different registrations or that are operating in the same facility or with common designated representatives shall be audited immediately to ensure that these associated farm units conform to the program conditions.
In the event of suspension, the inspector must issue a notification to the grower indicating that the grower's registration has been suspended. Once the grower has completed the required corrective actions, the CFIA inspector will follow up to verify corrective actions were implemented. The suspension will then be lifted and the farm unit may begin operating again with a conditional status. To notify the grower that the suspension has been lifted an inspector must issue a notification to the grower.
If a grower's registration is suspended the inspector must immediately take possession of all un-issued seed potato tags and records of bulk management. The inspector must remove and take possession of all seed potato tags and records of bulk movement applied to shipments that the grower has issued documentation for but have not yet been shipped. Seed potato tags or records of bulk movement will be returned to the grower or designated representative only after the suspension is lifted and the grower has addressed all outstanding corrective action requests to the satisfaction of the CFIA.
Appendix 1: Program terms and conditions
- The only functions a grower may designate representatives to perform on their behalf are:
- requesting seed potato certification tags (CFIA/ACIA 1370, CFIA/ACIA 2111, CFIA/ACIA 2113)
- requesting records of bulk movement for seed potatoes (CFIA/ACIA 2343)
- perform tuber inspections
- complete and issue seed potato tags
- complete and issue records of bulk movements
- and fulfill other documentation requirements
- Only the grower and their designated representative(s) may complete or issue seed potato tags and records of bulk movement under the conditions of the program.
- The grower must make proper use of CFIA supplied seed potato tags and records of bulk management.
- The grower must have all required laboratory test results for the farm unit as per D-97-12 – Bacterial ring rot testing program for field grown seed potatoes and all results for the farm unit must show that the pathogen causing bacterial ring rot was not detected prior to issuing seed potato tags or records of bulk movement and or prior to movement of any seed potatoes.
- When shipping seed potatoes domestically, the grower may only issue Seed potato tags and records of bulk movement for potatoes of a registered variety or garden variety as per D-98-04: Certification of garden potato varieties in Canada.
- Prior to the issuance of documentation associated with a seed lot, the authorized grower must determine the eligibility of the seed potato lot through a documented shipping point tuber inspection verifying compliance with the standards for tubers and packaging requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and the seed potato tuber grade sizes or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement.
- The grower or designated representatives must remove all certification seed potato tags if they are affixed to packages determined not to meet the standards for tubers and packaging requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and the seed potato tuber grade sizes or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement.
- The grower or designated representatives must not complete any records of bulk movement for a shipment until it is determined that the seed potatoes meet the standards for tubers, packaging and disinfection requirements in accordance with the Seeds Regulations Part II and the seed potato tuber grade sizes or the grade size specified in the written purchase agreement.
- The grower or designated representative must collect all tuber samples as outlined in PI-009: Seed Potato Tuber Inspection.
- The grower or designated representative must record and sign the tuber inspection results and on a s eed p otato tuber i nspection r eport or similar form that has been pre-approved by the CFIA.
- The grower must maintain all documentation specified in section 4.4 of this directive for a period of 10 years. If the grower chooses to use their own forms for record keeping, as a minimum, the forms must collect the equivalent information as the forms supplied by the CFIA.
- The grower or a designated representative shall retain a sample from each batch of seed potato tags printed. The sample tag must be proofread, initialled, and dated by the grower or designated representative prior to affixing any printed seed potato tags to seed potato containers of the respective seed lot and shipment.
- The grower or a designated representative shall provide all information when completing records of bulk movement including the variety, class, quantity, certification number, size, vehicle number, purchaser's name, purchaser's address, name of grower or designated representative and address of the grower or designated representative.
- The grower or a designated representative shall sign all completed records of bulk management.
- The grower or a designated representative shall provide all information when completing seed potato seed potato tags including the class, variety, size, date, and certification number.
- All un-issued seed potato tags or records of bulk management, whether new, spoiled, voided, removed, or otherwise, shall be retained by the grower and shall only be destroyed by or under supervision of the CFIA.
- The grower must make all required documentation available to the CFIA upon request.
- The grower or a designated representative shall contact the CFIA immediately if any quarantine or regulated non-quarantine pests listed in Appendix 3 of this directive are detected or suspected, prior to any further shipment from the farm unit.
- If registration is suspended, the grower or designated representative shall not issue seed potato seed potato tags or records of bulk movement in association with the program until the registration is reinstated to authorized.
- Any seed potato seed potato tags and/or records of bulk movement must be returned to the CFIA upon request.
- The grower's designated representatives must be sufficiently trained to meet the program conditions for all areas of the program where the designated representative will be involved. Furthermore, any actions taken by the grower's designated representatives in respect of the program must conform to the conditions specified.
- The grower must make the PI-009 available and must communicate program changes and updates to their designated representatives.
- The grower must immediately notify the CFIA of any change in the status of designated representatives for the farm unit, or the designation of new representatives.
- The grower must contact the local CFIA office prior to the commencement of domestic shipping and once domestic shipping has been completed for the shipping season.
- The grower must provide the CFIA with access to any record, location, property or premises where any activities under this program are being carried out to verify compliance with the conditions of the program.
- The grower shall provide all reasonable assistance to verify compliance with the conditions of the programs.
Appendix 2: Designated representatives list
Download and complete the form for the designated representative list (PDF - 17 KB).
Long description for the designated representatives list form
Name of Farm Unit(s):
Farm Unit Number(s):
Grower Name:
I, [name], the grower(s) in control of the above named farm unit declare that the following person(s) is/are trained in all relevant aspects of the Seed Potato Tuber Quality Management Program as required in the Directive D-06-04. Therefore, the following person(s) shall be considered designated representative(s) and may act on my behalf to use Seed Potato Tags and Record of Bulk Movements for Seed Potatoes under the program conditions.
- Name of designated representative:
- Signature of designated representative:
- Date and type of training received:
- Signature of the authorized grower:
- Date:
- Province:
- Name of designated representative:
- Signature of designated representative:
- Date and type of training received:
- Signature of the authorized grower:
- Date:
- Province:
- Name of designated representative:
- Signature of designated representative:
- Date and type of training received:
- Signature of the authorized grower:
- Date:
- Province:
Appendix 3: Specific quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests Table Note 3
Quarantine pests
| Type of pest | Pests | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Bacteria | Brown rot (Ralstonia solanacearum (Smith) Yabuuchi et al. race 3 (biovar 2) | 1,4 |
| Nematodes | Columbia root knot nematode (Meloidogyne chitwoodi Golden et al. 1980) | 1,3,4 |
| Nematodes | Golden nematode (Globodera rostochiensis (Wollenweber) Behrens | 1,3,4 |
| Nematodes | Stem and bulb nematode (potato race) (Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kuhn) Filipjev) | 2 |
| Nematodes | Potato rot nematode (Ditylenchus destructor Thorne) | 1,3,4 |
| Nematodes | Pale cyst nematode (Globodera pallida (Stone) Behrens) | 1,3 |
| Fungi | Potato gangrene (Phoma exigua Desmazieres var. foveata (Foister) Boerema) | 1 |
| Fungi | Potato smut (Thecaphora solani (Thirumulachar & O'Brien) Mordue) | 1 |
| Fungi | Potato wart disease (Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilbersky) Percival) | 1,3,4 |
Regulated non-quarantine pests
| Type of pest | Pests | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Bacteria | Bacterial ring rot (Clavibacter sepedonicus) | 1,4 |
| Viroid | Potato spindle tuber viroid | 1,4 |
Table Notes
- Table Note 3
-
Complete listing of pests regulated by Canada
References:
- Compendium of Potato Diseases 2001, W.R. Stevenson et al. APS Press, St. Paul Minnesota
- Diseases and Pests of Vegetable Crops in Canada 1994, R.J. Howard et al., The Canadian Phytopathological Society and The Entomological Society of Canada
- Pest Fact Sheets, provided via the CFIA website; inspection.gc.ca
- Potato Field Guide: Insects, Diseases, and Defects Publication 823, 2004, E. Banks et al., Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food
Appendix 4: Request for seed potato certification tags or record of bulk movement for seed potatoes
Download and complete the Request form to receive certification tags or records of bulk movement for seed potatoes (PDF - 20 KB)
Long description: Request form to receive certification tags or record of bulk movement for seed potatoes
| Quantity | Variety | Class | Size | Seed Lot Certification Number | Size of Bags | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Number of Record of Bulk Movement for Seed Potatoes Requested (CFIA/ACIA 2343):
List sequence numbers below for Record of Bulk Movement for Seed Potatoes (CFIA/ACIA 2343):
No. to
No. to
No. to
No. to
No. to
No. to
Grower or designated representative requesting documents:
Name - Print
Signature
Date:
CFIA personnel providing documents:
CFIA Personnel - Print
Signature
Date:
Blank Seed Potato Certification Tags (CFIA/ACIA 1370, CFIA/ACIA 2111, CFIA/ACIA 2113) and/or Record of Bulk Movement for Seed Potatoes (CFIA/ACIA 2343) are provided to the grower or designated representative of the farm unit stated above.
Appendix 5: Shipment record logs
Certification tags
Download and complete the Shipment record logs for seed potato certification tags (PDF - 17 KB)
Long description – Ship record logs for seed potato certification tags
| Tags Received | Shipments | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # of Tags Received | Variety & Class | Certification Number | Date Shipped | Vehicle No./ID Table Note 4 | Disinfected? (Y/N) | No. of Bags | Size of Bags | Name and Province of Buyer | Initials |
Table Notes
- Table Note 4
-
If vehicle number is unavailable, assign unique number for each separate shipment from a given lot/certification number (e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.). This number is entered on the Seed Potato Tuber Inspection Report in place of vehicle number.
| Seed Potato Tags | Elite | Found | Cert. |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of tags used | |||
| No. of tags spoiled |
Note: Growers are required to contact the CFIA prior to the start of the shipping season and after the shipping season is completed.
Records of bulk movement
Download and complete the Shipment record logs for records of bulk movement for seed potatoes (PDF - 23 KB).
Long description – Ship record logs for seed potato certification tags
| Variety & Class | Certification Number | Date Shipped | Vehicle No./ID Table Note 5 | Vehicle / container (s) Disinfected? (Y/N) | Qty. Shipped (MT) | Name and Province of Buyer | RBM Number | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Table Notes
- Table Note 5
-
If the vehicle number is unavailable, assign a unique number for each separate shipment from a given lot/certification number (e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.). This number is entered on the Seed Potato Tuber Inspection Report in place of the vehicle number.
RBM Issued:
RBM Spoiled:
Note: Growers are required to contact the CFIA prior to the start of the shipping season and after the shipping season is completed.