Language selection

Search

Labelling of blended seed from 2 countries of production

A seed blend is a mixture of 2 or more varieties of the same crop kind or species and/or 2 or more seed lots of the same variety. There are specific labelling requirements when seed blends with components from 2 or more different countries of production are offered for sale in Canada.

Official tags

The Seeds Regulations (the Regulations) specify the following requirements for official tags where any percentage of the seed is derived from a crop not grown and conditioned in Canada and the seed is graded with a Canada pedigreed grade name (section 34 of the Regulations).

The Interagency tag (CFIA/ACIA 0034) or label (CFIA/ACIA 0042) must be used when the seed is graded as Canada Foundation, Canada Foundation No. 1, Canada Foundation No. 2, Canada Registered No. 1, or Canada Registered No. 2.

The Interagency Certified tag (CFIA/ACIA 5627) must be used when the seed is graded as Canada Certified No. 1 or Canada Certified No. 2. However, the following exemptions may apply.

  1. The approved conditioner in Canada that has fastened and labelled the package of seed is not required to apply the Interagency Certified tag where the name of the seller, packager or labeller is marked on the package, and
    1. the information required on the Interagency Certified tag is marked on the package in a layout that conforms to that tag and the approved conditioner notifies the local office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency prior to obtaining those packages (subparagraph 34(3)(c)(i) and paragraph 34(3)(d)), or
    2. for packages containing 2 kg or less of seed, the words "Certified Seed" appear in a blue rectangle of the same colour as the official tag and that has a length to width ratio of approximately 2:1, and the information required on the Certified Interagency tag appears elsewhere on the package (subparagraph 34(3)(c)(ii)).
  2. Where the blended seed is imported into Canada bearing tags from another official seed certifying agency, the seed may be sold in Canada with those tags but the following conditions apply:
    1. if the seed is graded in Canada, then the Canada pedigreed grade name and the name of the person selling the seed must appear on a document that accompanies each sale of the seed (paragraph 34(5)(b)); and
    2. if the seed is imported into Canada already labelled with a Canada pedigreed grade name, then the Canada pedigreed grade name and the number of the accredited grader must appear on a label attached to or printed directly on each package of seed (paragraph 34(5)(c)).

Information required on the Interagency tag

The following information is required on the Interagency tag (subsection 34(2) of the Regulations):

Additional labelling requirements

The following labelling requirements apply to all seed; however, the specific situations described below arise more often for imported seed than for domestic seed.

  1. If the label shows the identity and principal place of business of the person in Canada for whom the seed was produced for resale, the words "imported by" or "imported for" must precede the identity and principal place of business of that person (subsection 15(4)). However, if the geographic origin of the seed is also stated on the label, this does not apply.
  2. If the label or package of seed indicates any reference, direct or indirect, to a place of production of the label or package itself and not to the place of production of the seed, the reference must be accompanied by an additional statement indicating that the place of production refers only to the label or package (subsection 15(3)).
Date modified: