Plants > Seeds  

RELEASE OF THE REPORT OF THE SEED SECTOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE

May 28, 2004 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is studying the key recommendations contained in the Report of the Seed Sector Advisory Committee released May 5, and will be responding to them over the course of the next few months.

The Seed Sector Review (SSR) is an industry led, industry-wide assessment of the Canadian seed sector and Canada’s seed regulatory environment in the global context. It was undertaken by the Seed Alliance, an umbrella group formed in 2003 by the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association, the Canadian Seed Trade Association, the Canadian Seed Institute, and the Grain Growers of Canada.

The Seed Sector Advisory Committee, consisting of 18 representatives from across the seed industry, provided overall direction for the Seed Sector Review. The Report of the Seed Sector Advisory Committee presents the discussions held during the review and outlines recommendations for action. The key recommendations are:

• to establish a permanent consultative mechanism for the seed industry, and
• to proceed with regulatory change priorities, especially in the areas of Plant Breeders’ Rights, variety registration, and the development of a streamlined regulatory model.

The report by the Seed Sector Advisory Committee is a significant accomplishment, and the CFIA commends the members of the Seed Alliance both for their inclusive consultation process, and for completing a comprehensive review of the Canadian seed sector.

The CFIA is committed to working with seed sector stakeholders to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Canada`s seed regulatory framework. Canada has been a world leader in the application of quality management systems, but even more could be achieved with strategic investments in policy evaluation, development and implementation. The CFIA will be identifying, in the near future, steps to respond to the recommendations outlined in the Seed Sector Advisory Committee report.

For more information, please contact:

Glyn Chancey
Director, Plant Production Division
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Ottawa
(613) 225-2342 extension 4536

For more information about the Report of the Seed Sector Advisory Committee, visit the SSR web site at http://www.seedsectorreview.com/