Instructions to complete Form 5747: Application for Multiplication Agreement for Varietal Certification of Seed Multiplied Abroad

The following are instructions for completing Form 5747: Application for Multiplication Agreement for Varietal Certification of Seed Multiplied Abroad.

Background

A Multiplication Agreement (MA) establishes an official linkage between the national designated authority (NDA) in the country of origin of the seed and the NDA of the country where the seed is multiplied. When seed multiplied in another country is intended to be certified pursuant to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Seed Schemes the variety must be on the OECD List of Varieties Eligible for Seed Certification. The following may also be certified abroad under the conditions of an MA:

• experimental lines
• parental lines of hybrid varieties
• varieties in pre-registration development

An MA may also be requested by the country of multiplication if the seed is intended to be certified according to the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA). This applies when the multiplication takes place in one of the AOSCA participating countries. The MA is issued by the NDA of country of registration of the variety.

Applications should be submitted to us before November 15 (non soybeans) or November 30 (soybeans) of the year of planting in the foreign country.

Send completed applications to:

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Variety Registration Office (VRO)
• c/o Pre-Market Application Submission Office (PASO)
• 1400 Merivale Road
• Ottawa, ON
• K1A 0Y9

Telephone: 1-855-212-7695
Email: cfia.paso-bpdpm.acia@inspection.gc.ca

Summary of MA requirements

1. A completed signed application form and completed unsigned application form must be submitted

2. Seed tags

• an image of the seed tag attached to the planting stock is required for confirmation of the:
  • variety/line name
  • lot number
  • crop certificate number
  • pedigreed status
  • certifying agency
• the seed for planting shall be exported to the foreign country with either:
  • AOSCA tags
  • OECD tags
  • Canada Seed Growers' Association (CSGA) tags
  • contact us in any case where this may not be appropriate prior to submitting the application
• indicate what tag is to be applied to the production of the multiplication - what pedigreed status will be produced and whether the tags will be OECD or AOSCA
• the seed produced in the foreign country may be imported into Canada with that country's official domestic seed tag

3. Reference Control samples and Variety Verification samples

Companies with MAs must submit Variety Verification (VV) samples for seed lots produced in other jurisdictions over the Canadian winter and imported into Canada for sale or further multiplication. Companies are also responsible to ensure they submit the varietal standard for these samples, otherwise known as the Reference Control sample, to us.

• VV sample

  A seed sample provided to verify that the seed lot meets the required varietal purity and varietal identity standards. In the context of MAs, this refers to Canadian pedigreed seed lots multiplied abroad and then returned to Canada for sale. A seed sample of this lot must be tested to verify that its varietal characteristics remain intact throughout multiplication.

• RC sample

  An official sample of Breeder status seed submitted with the application for variety registration to the CFIA's Variety Registration Office or the application for eligibility for certification through the CSGA. This sample is used as the variety standard for comparisons with seed of the variety from subsequent generations. For some crop kinds, Breeder seed is not available. In these cases, Select or Foundation seed may be acceptable if it is recognized by the CSGA and the breeder. RC samples must not be treated with a pest control product.

Reference Control sample requirements

We maintain RC samples of varieties registered in Canada which are used as the varietal standard. RC samples are typically Breeder status or OECD Pre-Basic status seed. New RC samples are not required for varieties that are already registered in Canada. However, a RC sample of the variety is required for:

• all unregistered varieties (including varieties whose registration is pending and any parental lines being increased (bulked))
• varieties of crops not subject to registration in Canada
  • unless previously submitted
• varieties registered outside of Canada

Only one RC sample is needed for each variety grown abroad in a MA; if a company has multiple MAs for the same variety, only a single RC for that variety needs to be submitted.

Variety Verification sample requirements

• one VV sample must be submitted for every MA

Sample submission deadline

• VV samples must be submitted by May 15 of the foreign harvest year
• for perennial crops: one VV sample is required for each year of harvest

Sample size requirements for VV samples

• corn, soybeans or wheat: 500 g
• canola: 100 g
• for other crop kinds, refer to the CFIA Specific Work Instructions 132.1.1 - Appendix III (available upon request from seedsemence@inspection.gc.ca)

Sample handling

• samples must be securely sealed, clearly labelled and untreated
  • Note: VV canola samples should be treated but RC canola samples must be untreated
• submit samples in mesh or cloth bags, not plastic bags
• include a completed VV sample submission form with each sample

Sample shipping address:

• Canadian Food Inspection Agency – Seed Science Unit
• 3851 Fallowfield Road
• Ottawa, ON
• K2J 4S1

Each sample must be labelled with the following information:

1. multiplication agreement code
2. company or individual submitting the sample
3. lot number
4. variety name or experimental number
5. species
6. common name
7. copy of tags, labels, etc. to be attached
8. crop reference number
9. indicate if variety or parental line or other
10. date sample submitted
11. indicate the sample type:
    1. this is a reference sample of a variety/line that is/was multiplied abroad under a CFIA MA

       or

    2. this is a variety verification sample of the seed harvested after being multiplied abroad

Submission form requirement

A completed Variety Verification Sample Submission form must accompany each VV sample to link it to the applicable Multiplication Agreement.

4. Description of variety (DoV)

Although we maintain variety descriptions for varieties registered in Canada, applicants are encouraged to provide variety descriptions with each application. The descriptions should be submitted in a format that can be easily provided to the NDA in the country of multiplication. For hybrid varieties, include the DoVs for the parental lines to be used for inspection of the seed crop by the foreign NDA. Applicants should also provide the DoV for the hybrid produced by the multiplication for variety verification testing of the progeny.