D-95-01

Our File
3500-1
3500-l-0

I. SUBJECT

This directive describes the numbering system for policy directives (D-memos) issued by the Plant Protection Division of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC).

II. BACKGROUND

In 1994, the Plant Protection Division decided that its policies would be conveyed in a directive with a consistent format, i.e., as the Director's Memorandum (or D-memo). All existing policies contained in various documents will be consolidated, revised, and converted into D-memos.

The numbering system has been improved and refined to meet the need for a simple system:

1) the same D-memo number should be retained for each directive on a specific subject, e.g. D-94-14 should always be the number for the directive on Permit to Import requirements for plants and other things from continental United States;

2) clear indication is needed as to when the directive was first completed and its status.

III. POLICY

The policy directive of AAFC's Plant Protection Division i.e., D-memo, is numbered according to the following system:

1) The D-memo number consists of the following elements: D-Yr-No

D represents Directive issued by the Director of Plant Protection Division;

Yr is the year in which the directive is first completed, e.g. it is 95 if the D-memo is originally completed and signed by the Director in 1995 (Exception: Directives that were already given numbers in 1994 while still in draft stage);

No is a number indicating the order in which the D-memo is completed in a particular year. For example, if it is the 16th directive being signed by the Director in 1995, the D-memo number will be D-95-16.

2) The date in the second top right-hand box of the D-memo is the date on which the current version was completed and signed by the director.

3) Immediately below the date is a bracket containing "original" or "X" revision of the D-memo. For instance, if this is the first revision of D-95-16, completed and signed by the Director on November 29, 1996, the second right-hand box of the D-memo will appear as:

November 29, 1996 (First revision)

Thus, for this example, the numbering of the D-memo shows that it is the 16th directive developed in 1995, and its first update is completed on November 29, 1996.

D-95-16 in this case, might be the policy directive on the import requirements for "Y" products from countries other than the United States, regardless of when it is revised.

For ease of reference, the directive number and its version (i.e., original or "X" revision) is also shown on the bottom of each page of the directive.

4. Updating of information in an APPENDIX, e.g. infested areas, will occur more frequently and usually does not necessitate any change to the text of the directive. In order to save paper, only updated APPENDICES will be sent to D-memo mailing list, where there is no change to the text of a directive. APPENDICES will be marked by their latest date of revision.

Yudi Singh
A/Director
Plant Protection