D-14-01: Canary Seed Export Program

Effective Date: September 9, 2025 (1st Revision)

Canadian canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) exported to Mexico for end use as bird food must be processed in a facility approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). This directive describes:

• the CFIA registration and approval procedure for Canadian facilities to process canary seed for export to Mexico
• the specific requirements that must be met in the processing of canary seed in Canada to meet Mexico's phytosanitary import requirements
• the related responsibilities of the CFIA, canary seed processors/exporters, CFIA approved samplers and laboratories

Latest revisions

This directive has been renamed and revised to reflect changes in terminology to support the integration of the Canary Seed Export Program into the CFIA's digital platform. No changes have been made to the requirements of the program.

This directive supersedes D-14-01 (Original).

On this page

• Introduction
• Scope
• References
• Definitions, abbreviations and acronyms
• 1.0 General requirements
  • 1.1 Legislative authority
  • 1.2 Fees
  • 1.3 Regulated pests
  • 1.4 Regulated commodities
  • 1.5 Regulated areas
• 2.0 CFIA Canary Seed Export Program requirements
  • 2.1 Program requirements
  • 2.2 Sampling requirements
  • 2.3 Testing requirements
• 3.0 Responsibilities
  • 3.1 CFIA responsibilities
  • 3.2 Laboratory responsibilities
  • 3.3 Processor/Exporter responsibilities
• 4.0 Export documentation
• 5.0 Non-compliance
• Appendix 1. Regulated quarantine weed seeds of Mexico present in Canada (Reviewed as of July 30, 2025)
• Appendix 2. Program requirements
• Appendix 3. Facility audit checklist
• Appendix 4. Example of export certificate issued by the approved processing facility
• Appendix 5. Canary seed to Mexico – Processing facility preventive control plan checklist

Introduction

Mexico's National Plant Protection Organization (SENASICA) implemented weed seed import requirements for Canadian origin canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) in 2010 over concerns that this product is a potential pathway for the movement and introduction of seeds of regulated weed species into Mexico.

To address these concerns, the CFIA has developed a program for the Canadian industry aimed at mitigating the phytosanitary risk of Mexico's quarantine weed species that can occur in consignments of canary seed processed at facilities in Canada. The requirements for this program are based on:

• equivalency to the sampling and analysis performed by SENASICA on consignments of canary seed that arrive at the Mexican point of entry
• the import standards applied by SENASICA with respect to permissible levels of weed seeds for those consignments to be eligible for recleaning in Mexico

Scope

The information in this directive is intended for CFIA inspectors and program officers, exporters, and facilities that process canary seed for export to Mexico.

References

D-10-02: The Canadian Grain Sampling Program (CGSP)

Definitions, abbreviations and acronyms

Definitions for terms used in the present document can be found in the Plant health glossary of terms.

1.0 General requirements

1.1 Legislative authority

• Plant Protection Act, S.C. 1990, c. 22
• Plant Protection Regulations, SOR/95-212
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice, Canada Gazette: Part 1 (as amended from time to time)

1.2 Fees

The CFIA is charging fees in accordance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice. Anyone requiring other information regarding fees may contact any local CFIA office or visit us at our Fees Notice website.

1.3 Regulated pests

Mexico's quarantine weed species are listed in SENASICA's regulation NOM-043-FITO-1999 and in Appendix 1 of this directive. The weed species listed in this appendix are a shortened list of the species that have been previously reported in Canada. This list will be updated by the CFIA as required, upon receipt of notification from SENASICA of any changes and/or upon further review by the CFIA.

1.4 Regulated commodities

Canadian origin canary seed grain that is processed in CFIA-approved facilities for export to Mexico for end use as bird food.

1.5 Regulated areas

Canada

2.0 CFIA Canary Seed Export Program requirements

2.1 Program requirements

In order to export canary seed from Canada to Mexico, the processing facility which processes canary seed for export to Mexico must be registered and approved in this program. Under this program, the canary seed being exported from Canada to Mexico must:

• be of Canadian origin
• be accompanied by an export certificate issued by the approved facility that attests to the origin, processing, sampling and weed seed analysis of the canary seed consignment
• be accompanied by a Laboratory Analysis Report of the consignment that was completed and issued by a CFIA-approved seed laboratory (hereinafter referred to as "laboratory") to analyze representative samples of canary seed for the presence of Mexico's quarantine weed seeds
• be accompanied by a Canadian phytosanitary certificate

This program is a systems approach to pest management that ensures export consignments of canary seed meet the phytosanitary import requirements of Mexico as administered by SENASICA on a consistent and ongoing basis.

2.1.1 Application requirement

Facilities that process canary seed for export to Mexico must apply to participate in this program 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".

2.1.2 Facility audit

The facility must agree to:

• prior to approval, an initial audit by the CFIA, to evaluate the systems in place at the facility which ensure that the processing of canary seed at the facility mitigates the phytosanitary risk associated with Mexico's quarantine weed seeds. For additional details on this audit, see Appendix 3
• allow the CFIA to collect official samples of processed canary seed for weed seed analysis by the CFIA laboratory for the purpose of verifying the facility's process. Note: The CFIA does not collect the representative samples used for phytosanitary certification of export consignments; this is the responsibility of the processor or a third party sampler, who are required to be approved under the CFIA's Canadian Grain Sampling Program (CGSP)
• participate fully in annual audits completed by the CFIA to verify continued compliance with this program

The CFIA retains the option to visit the processing facility at any time to verify compliance with this program.

2.1.3 Process verification

At the time of the facility audit, the CFIA inspector will take official samples of canary seed processed at the facility for submission to the CFIA laboratory for analysis. The results of this analysis will verify whether the processes employed at the facility ensure that export shipments do not contain Mexico's quarantine weed seeds at a level that exceeds 15 regulated weeds seeds per kilogram. This is the standard at which consignments may be released for re-cleaning in Mexico under the care and control of companies authorized by SENASICA for that purpose.

2.1.4 Facility approval

Once a processing facility has been audited by the CFIA according to the audit checklist in Appendix 3 and process verification samples have been analyzed according to the requirements of Section 2.1.3, and determined to have met Mexico's requirements, the facility will receive a confirmation of registration in their My CFIA account and be issued a unique facility registration number (CFIA-CGSP-##).

The processing facility's name, address and the CFIA issued registration number will be maintained by CFIA. The list of approved facilities will also be communicated by the CFIA to SENASICA's Plant Health Directorate.

2.2 Sampling requirements

2.2.1 Canadian Grain Sampling Program requirements

As a requirement under this export program, canary seed processing facilities must either be approved for sampling consignments under the CFIA's Canadian Grain Sampling Program (CGSP) or use a third party sampler that is approved under the CGSP. For more information, see the CGSP directive.

2.2.2 Representative samples

For each consignment of canary seed destined for export to Mexico, 2 separate representative samples must be submitted, one for weed seed analysis and the second for other phytosanitary inspection (i.e. stored product insect pests regulated by Mexico and soil). All sampling related activities must be completed and documented as per the requirements of the CGSP and the facility's Preventive Control Plan (PCP).

2.2.3 Sample submission

Representative samples drawn for quarantine weed seed testing must be submitted to a CFIA approved laboratory for weed seed analysis. The second representative sample must be submitted directly to the processing facility's local CFIA office for additional phytosanitary testing. To obtain a list of laboratories approved by the CFIA to conduct weed seed analyses of canary seed grain, please contact a local CFIA office.

2.3 Testing requirements

2.3.1 Quarantine weed seed analysis

The laboratory will analyze the representative samples for the absence or presence of quarantine weed seeds. The laboratory will then prepare a Laboratory Analysis Report summarizing their findings. The analysis report will be provided to the local CFIA office as specified by the processing facility, and a copy will be provided to the processor.

2.3.2 Other phytosanitary testing

For each consignment, a sample will be analyzed by the CFIA local office to verify freedom from regulated stored product pests and soil.

3.0 Responsibilities

3.1 CFIA responsibilities

3.1.1 Review application

The CFIA is responsible for:

• receiving, evaluating and approving the application and Preventive Control Plan

3.1.2 Facility audit and approval

The CFIA is responsible for:

• conducting initial and subsequent annual facility audits to verify that all conditions of the program are being adhered to, and that the facility continues to be eligible for approval
• assigning a unique facility number
• upon approval of the processing facility, issuing a confirmation of registration

The CFIA's grains and oilseeds section will provide a list of approved processing facilities to SENASICA and will inform SENASICA of any changes to the list under this program.

3.1.3 Testing of samples for regulated stored product insect pests and soil

The CFIA is responsible for:

• testing representative samples of canary seed consignments to verify freedom from stored product insect pests regulated by Mexico and freedom from soil

3.2 Laboratory responsibilities

3.2.1 Analysis of samples for the presence of Mexico's quarantine weed seeds

The laboratory is responsible for:

• analyzing submitted samples representing canary seed export consignments to verify the absence or presence, and number of seeds of Mexico's quarantine weeds according to the procedures summarized in the CFIA's "Supplementary Protocol – Weed Seed Analysis by Accredited Seed Laboratories to Support Phytosanitary Certification of Canary Seed Commodity Shipments"
• providing the completed analysis report to the local CFIA office and a copy to the exporter

3.3 Processor/Exporter responsibilities

The canary seed processing facility/exporting company is responsible for:

• demonstrating to the CFIA that the processing of canary seed removes quarantine weed seeds to a level not exceeding 15 seeds per kilogram on all export consignments to Mexico
• cooperating with the CFIA during audits and allowing the CFIA access to the facility and to records, as required, to verify compliance with this program
• ensuring that the representative samples from each canary seed consignment are drawn under the CFIA's CGSP
• issuing a unique Export Certificate (Appendix 4) for each consignment of canary seed to Mexico which specifies the facility name, the CFIA issued facility registration number, the bin or lot number(s) the canary seed was shipped from (if applicable), and a consignment identification number (for example, bin number, lot number, railcar number, or bill of lading number) and
• maintaining all records for 2 years after the date of issuance for individual processed consignments of canary seed
  • internal sampling and analysis results (in other words date, product lot, bin, or conveyance number, purity results including amount of product verified, and reporting of weed seeds)
  • copies of Export Certificates and
  • copies of Laboratory Analysis Reports

4.0 Export documentation

The CFIA will issue a phytosanitary certificate with an additional declaration if:

• the laboratory analysis report indicates that the equivalent of 15 or fewer quarantine weed seeds per kilogram of canary seed were detected
• testing of a representative sample confirms freedom from stored product insect pests regulated by Mexico and soil and
• the consignment meets all other phytosanitary import requirements of Mexico

The additional declaration which appears on the phytosanitary certificate issued by the CFIA will be:

THE CANARY SEED IN THIS SHIPMENT COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR EXPORT OF CANARY SEED (PHALARIS CANARIENSIS) FROM CANADA TO MEXICO.

The CFIA will attach a copy of the laboratory analysis report to the phytosanitary certificate. The laboratory analysis report number will also be referenced on the phytosanitary certificate.

The exporter will issue an export certificate (Appendix 4), to accompany each consignment.

5.0 Non-compliance

The CFIA may suspend or revoke a facility's registration upon finding non-compliance with the requirements specified in this directive, or if non-compliance is identified by SENASICA, communicated to the CFIA, and confirmed by the CFIA.

Until a suspended facility's registration status is reinstated by the CFIA (in other words, corrective action(s) are applied by the facility and verified by the CFIA), the canary seed processed at the facility cannot be certified for export to Mexico. Facilities that have had their registration revoked may register for re-approval at any time, following the procedures outlined in this directive for facilities seeking first time approval. A facility's service request for registration must include corrective actions taken to address the identified non-compliance(s). Re-approval under this program may require on-site verification of corrective actions by a CFIA inspector.

Appendix 1. Regulated quarantine weed seeds of Mexico present in Canada (Reviewed as of July 30, 2025)

• Acanthospermum hispidum
• Agrostemma githago
• Anthoxanthum aristatum (Present in QC and BC only)
• Anthoxanthum odoratum (Not present in AB, SK, or MB)
• Apera spica-venti
• Asclepias syriaca
• Calystegia sepium
• Carthamus lanatus
• Conringia orientalis
• Cuscuta spp.
• Echium vulgare
• Euphorbia esula
• Galega officinalis
• Galeopsis tetrahit
• Galium aparine
• Galium spurium
• Heracleum mantegazzianum
• Linaria vulgaris
• Lithospermum arvense
• Matricaria inodora
• Matricaria maritima
• Neslia paniculata
• Orobanche spp.
• Polygonum convolvulus (syn. Fallopia convolvulus)
• Ranunculus repens
• Silene noctiflora
• Silybum marianum
• Solanum carolinense
• Solanum ptycanthum
• Thlaspi arvense
• Ulex europaeus
• Vaccaria hispanica

Appendix 2. Program requirements

The facility shall:

1. allow the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to conduct audits, as required, to verify compliance with this agreement
2. demonstrate to the CFIA that the canary seed processed for export to Mexico is cleaned to eliminate weed seeds to levels established by SENASICA
3. maintain a written Preventive Control Plan which is reviewed and approved by the CFIA which describes the cleaning equipment and internal quality control procedures employed by the facility
4. ensure that shipping conveyances (in other words, railcars, boxcars, trucks, etc.) were emptied and cleaned of other products prior to loading of canary seed under this compliance agreement to avoid contamination with quarantine weed seeds
5. issue an export certificate for all consignments of canary seed which specifies the facility name and CFIA issued registration number
   • the certificate must also confirm the crop kind, origin, bin number(s) if applicable, and rail car identification number(s).
   • a consignment identification number (for example, bin number, lot number, railcar number, bill of lading number) must be included on each certificate
   • this certificate should be included in the documentation package for each consignment along with the CFIA issued phytosanitary certificate and the Laboratory Analysis Report
6. maintain records for 2 years including internal verifications of the processing of canary seed consignments destined for export to Mexico

Appendix 3. Facility audit checklist

Representative Sample (1)

Appendix 4. Example of export certificate issued by the approved processing facility

[Mandatory title for use on all certificates]: "Export Certificate Under CFIA Plant Health Directive D-14-01"

[The following information fields and attestation below must appear on the certificate]:

Consignment identification number: ______________

Facility name: ______________

Facility address: ______________

CFIA facility registration number: CFIA-CGSP – ______________

Bin or lot or railcar or bill of lading number(s) [if applicable]: ______________

This certificate attests that the canary seeds in this consignment are not intended to be used for planting, and;

1. meet the processing requirements as outlined in the compliance agreement between the above facility and the CFIA as per Plant Health Directive D-14-01: Canary Seed Export Program
2. have been produced from canary seed of Canadian origin
3. have been sampled at the time of loading by a sampler approved by the CFIA to draw representative samples of grain for export (Canadian Grain Sampling Program)
4. have been analyzed by a CFIA-approved laboratory for the presence, identity, and number of seeds of Mexico's quarantine weeds

Signature – Facility representative: ______________

Print name – Facility representative: ______________

Date: ______________

Appendix 5. Canary seed to Mexico – Processing facility preventive control plan checklist