Variety Registration

Canada's Variety Registration system is being modernized to support innovation, improve competitiveness, and develop new markets in the crop production sector.

The purpose of variety registration is to provide government oversight to ensure that health and safety requirements are met and that information related to the identity of the variety is available to regulators to prevent fraud. It also facilitates seed certification, the international trade of seed and the tracking and tracing of varieties in commercial channels. This oversight is under the authority of the Seeds Act and Seed Regulations (Part III and Schedule III)

Variety registration procedure

• Procedures for the Registration of Crop Varieties
• Questions and answers: Use of variety names, import and sale of unregistered varieties

Variety description forms

• Barley
• Canola and rapeseed
• Fababean
• Oat
• Potato
• Soybean
• Wheat, durum, spelt and triticale

Registered varieties

• Registered varieties and cancellations from the Variety Registration Office
• Database of varieties registered in Canada

Offshore seed multiplication

CFIA helps to ensure that seeds going for off-shore seed multiplication meet OECD Seed Scheme requirements.

• Questions and answers: Multiplication of seed abroad
• Application for Multiplication Agreement for Varietal Certification of Seed Multiplied Abroad (CFIA/ACIA 5747)

Any inquiries regarding Multiplication Agreements for Certification of Seed Multiplied Abroad should be directed to cfia.paso-bpdpm.acia@inspection.gc.ca.

Recommending committees

• CFIA recognized crop specific recommending committees in Canada – Contact information
• Model Operating Procedures for Recommending Committees

Additional government and industry information

Canada

• Canadian Seed Growers Association (CSGA)
• Canadian Seed Institute (CSI)
• Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA)
• Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada (CSAAC)

International

• American Seed Trade Association (ASTA)
• Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA)
• Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN)
• International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
• International Seed Federation (ISF)
• International Seed Testing Association (ISTA)
• Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)
• Seed Association of the Americas (SAA)