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The ABC’s of Seed Importation into Canada

A. The Seeds Regulations have some specific information requirements in order to import seed into Canada.

In order to import seed, the importer must provide a signed statement including the following:

• the name of the species or crop kind being imported
• the lot designation of the seed
• the weight of seed being imported in each lot
• the name and address of the exporter
• the name, address and telephone number of the importer
• for species requiring variety registration, the name of the variety (refer to the Seeds Regulations Schedule III)
• the country in which the seed was produced
• the intended purpose of importation
• an acceptable certificate of analysis (see G below)

To facilitate rapid processing of your import, the information should be entered for each seed lot in the shipment onto the Import Declaration Form (Form 4560) that is found in our Forms Catalogue at www.inspection.gc.ca/english/for/mpppe.shtml. The importer must sign the declaration form and send it to the Import Service Centre closest to the point of entry. The Import Service Centres and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) also require the use of a Request for Release Approval Request for Release Approval form, available at the same URL. Clearly specify the units of measurement for the weight of the seed.

B. Upon submission of this documentation, the Import Service Centre will allow the seed to enter the country pending a release decision. The documentation will be sent to the nearest CFIA Seed Laboratory for review to determine if the importation meets the Canadian requirements including purity and germination. The Seed Laboratory will communicate with the importer directly.

C. Until such time as a notice of release is issued by a CFIA Seed Laboratory, the importer is required to keep the seed separate from all other seed and intact in its packaging.

D. Authorized Importer

• Importers who have been registered as "Authorized Importers" upon the recommendation of the Canadian Seed Institute need only provide their Authorized Importer number along with the Request for Release Approval Form at the time of importation. They are required to inform their local CFIA office of the importation within 30 days of the importation. They are also required to conduct an import conformity assessment. If the seed meets the minimum importation requirements, the seed is released and Authorized Importers are required to retain a copy of the seed import release decision and supporting documentation. If the seed does not meet import requirements, the Authorized Importer communicates with the local CFIA office to arrange for appropriate disposal.

E. Exemptions from the Importation Requirements

The following are exemptions from the above requirements:

1. Where the imported seed lot is 5 kg or less for large seeded crop kinds such as peas, wheat, soybeans and corn or is 500 g or less for small seeded crop kinds such as alfalfa, tomato or canola, neither the import declaration information nor the certificate of analysis need be supplied. See Section N (below) for clarification of importations with multiple small seed lots.
   
2. Where the seed is being imported for research purposes or for conditioning, the certificate of analysis need not include information on the percent germination.
   
3. Certificates of analysis and import declarations are not required for lots of herb seed that are 5 kg or less, or for flower seed, tree or shrub seed, true potato seed, ginseng, seeds of aquatic plants or onion/garlic multiplier sets.
   
4. For non-pedigreed seed of forage species, the name of the variety need not be supplied on the import declaration.

F. Seed Importation Fees

For the purposes of calculating fees:

"small shipment" means an imported seed shipment that weighs less than

1. 5 kg, in the case of large seeded crop kinds; and
2. 500 g, in the case of small seeded crop kinds.

There are no fees for the small shipments described above. For all other shipments by non-Authorized Importers that have not been precleared by an Authorized Importer, the fees are:

for a shipment of 1,500 kg or less.................$15.00

for a shipment of more than 1,500 kg............$0.01 per kg

Authorized Importers pay an annual authorization fee and are exempt from fees for individual shipments.

G. Acceptable Certificate of Analysis

Acceptable certificates of analysis may be obtained from

• officially recognized laboratories
• accredited graders
• seed testing laboratories operating under the supervision of a Senior or Associate member of the Commercial Seed Analysts’ Association of Canada
• seed testing laboratories operating under the supervision of a Registered Seed Technologist registered by the Society of Commercial Seed Technologist or
• a seed testing laboratory operated by or under the authority of a national or state government of a foreign country.

These certificates of analysis must provide sufficient information on purity and germination to verify that the seed lot meets the minimum standards for importation. They must be signed by the analyst and bear an official seal.

The lot numbers on the certificates of analysis must be identical to the lot numbers of the seed being imported.

H. The above requirements only pertain to seed for propagation purposes. Seed being imported for use in a food product such as mustard seed or cumin seed are not subject to the requirements of the Seeds Act and Regulations. Similarly, seed being imported for laboratory analysis including purity and germination testing is not required to comply with these requirements.

I.These requirements pertain to the release of seed for importation only. Additional requirements exist if the imported seed is to be sold in Canada. Contact your local CFIA office for further information.

J. There are additional restrictions on seed of spring wheat, durum wheat and spring barley being imported into the Canadian Wheat Board area. Contact your local CFIA office for further details.

K. There may be additional requirements under the Plant Protection Act and Regulations. See AUTOMATED IMPORT REFERENCE SYSTEM for more information.

L. Pre-clearance by Authorized Importers

Authorized Importers may issue import release decisions for non-authorized importers PRIOR to the importation of the seed. The non-authorized importer must supply the information required in Section A to the Authorized Importer in advance of the importation. The importer must supply a Seed Import Release Decision issued by an Authorized Importer along with the Request for Release Approval Form at the time of importation. Not all Authorized Importers choose to supply this service to the public.

M. Importation of Unregistered Varieties

Many agricultural crops and potatoes require variety registration in order to be sold or imported into Canada. Seed of unregistered varieties may only be imported for:

• seeding by the importer
• conditioning
• research
• sale pursuant to paragraph 5(4) of the Seeds Regulations.
• In some cases, the requirement for variety registration exists only for some crop type within a species. Oilseed soybeans require variety registration but natto type soybeans do not. Similarly, commodity type field peas require variety registration but forage type peas and garden peas do not. Where a variety registration is required for some types within a species and where a variety name is not provided, it is important for the importer to include the crop type along with the name of the species or crop kind.

N. Explanatory Notes

1. When determining the weight of seed being imported for the purpose of determining fees and lot sizes, the weight of the seed refers only to the weight of the seed itself. The weight does not include any seed coatings, seed packaging material or any material to which the seed is attached e.g. seed tape.
   
2. For the purposes of determining whether a "small lot" exemption is triggered, seed lot refers to a quantity of seed to which a unique identifier (such as a variety name or seed lot number) is assigned. There may be one or more packages that make up the seed lot being imported. For example 250 envelopes each containing 1 g of carrot seed of a variety called "Fred" may make up a seed lot for importation. The seed lot size is 250 g. The carrot seed may be accompanied by equal quantities of tomato, beet and bell pepper seed to make up a seed shipment weighing 1 kg. This shipment would be subject to the minimum $15 import fee; however, the individual seed lots would not be subject to the import declaration or certificate of analysis requirements.