This isn’t just policy. It’s the future of your farm. Speak up now, or someone else will decide for you.
We’ve all been waiting a long time for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Seed Regulatory Modernization (SRM) recommendations, and now that they’re out, it’s time to cut through the noise. At CSGA, we’ve decided to use a red light, yellow light, green light system to make sense of it all. Simple. Straightforward. No fluff.
Here’s the bottom line: a lot of what’s being proposed makes sense. Around 40 recommendations get a green light from us — let’s move on them. These include the establishment of an external seed advisory committee with balanced representation from across the value chain (an idea we jointly support with Seeds Canada), implementation of a digital-end-to-end certification system, and proposals that align with CSGA becoming the main administrator of Canada’s seed certification system.
But there are spots where we need to pump the brakes and think harder (yellow lights), and a few ideas we just can’t support as written (red lights).
Yellow Light: Crop Types Leaving Variety Registration
Let me give you a clear example of a yellow light: a proposal to incorporate by reference the list of crop types subject to variety registration.
This is problematic. There’s already talk about taking soybeans out of variety registration, for example. At first glance, it sounds fine — after all, hybrid corn isn’t in variety registration, and that works, right?
Here’s the catch. Hybrid corn in Canada comes with a rule: all corn seed sold must be pedigreed seed. That safeguard doesn’t exist for soybeans. Pull soybeans out of registration and you strip away protections that keep the marketplace transparent and sustainable.
For Ontario and Manitoba growers, that could mean less clarity, less stability, and tougher times for smaller Canadian players. It’s easy to say, “Well, it works for corn, so it’ll work for soybeans,” but the situations aren’t the same. That’s why this one sits firmly in the yellow column.
Red Lights: The Data We Don’t Have and Third-Party Inspections
Let’s start with a red light that should concern everyone: we don’t have solid data on certified seed volumes. Right now, nobody’s tracking how much seed is actually tagged and certified in Canada. Not sales, not acres — just the raw output.
Other countries and certification systems use this as a basic health check. We don’t. That’s a problem. A proposal to amend the definition of the Pedigreed Seed Declaration to remove reference to a specific CFIA form risks making that gap even worse.
Our solution? Imagine a national, anonymized database showing certified seed volumes. Companies could benchmark production, forecast demand, and avoid oversupplying markets. Policymakers could finally see the true size and impact of our sector. Right now, everyone is spending money collecting their own intelligence in silos. Why not build one solid, shared foundation?
This isn’t just plugging a regulatory gap — it’s a chance to create something that makes the entire seed system smarter and more sustainable. A national dataset of certified seed volumes would be a strategic tool for our sector.
The other big red light is a proposal to expand the policy on alternative seed crop inspection services to enable additional companies and seed growers to inspect their own pedigreed seed crops where appropriate and oversight exists.
Let’s be honest: crop inspection is not just walking a field. It’s specialized work that takes training and consistency. Handing it off to outside providers — or worse, asking growers to do it themselves — risks driving up costs, reducing oversight, and eroding trust in the whole system.
Growers don’t want the extra burden, and frankly, I don’t blame them. A seed system built on credibility can’t afford shortcuts. Read more about our SRM Red Lights.
Keeping What Works
Of course, any time change is on the table, people worry about losing the parts of the system that already work. And that’s fair.
Just this morning, a company told me they were worried about tag administration. Right now, if they need seed tags, they just call their printer and get them quickly. They don’t want that to change. Neither do we.
Here’s what the CFIA is proposing: instead of the CFIA handling all the tag requests and licence reviews themselves, one trusted third party would take on that role. That means the third party would be the ones issuing seed tags to those without tag printing licenses and reviewing licence applications. The CFIA would still oversee the system, but the day-to-day work would be streamlined. Think about how efficient that seed company orders tags. Now think about how much red tape the CFIA needs to cut through to order tags? This is all about being more efficient and CSGA is up to the task.
In short: growers would still get their tags fast and reliably, but the process will be more efficient overall. That’s why we support the idea.
A Rare Chance to Get This Right
Even with these concerns, I want to stress something: this process is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We can build a modern, sector-led, government-enabled system that actually delivers better service.
But we can’t just rubber-stamp every idea that comes across the table. Nor can we block change out of fear. The red-yellow-green framework forces us to slow down where needed, say no when it matters, and push forward where there’s real alignment.
Farmers know the value of timing. Plant too soon, and you risk frost. Plant too late, and you miss yield. This moment is no different. We’ve got to get the timing — and the decisions — right.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about regulation. It’s about building a system that growers, companies, and policymakers can trust for the long haul. That means protecting what works, fixing what doesn’t, and making sure Canadian seed has a clear, sustainable path forward.
Your Voice Counts
Here’s where you come in. The CFIA is accepting feedback until Oct. 3, 2025. I’m asking you to:
Support the CFIA’s overall direction.
Urge the CFIA to designate CSGA as the main administrator of certification.
Advocate for mandatory reporting of certified seed quantities.
Encourage the CFIA to legislate only where necessary. To make it easy, we’ve created a letter writing campaign. In just a couple of clicks, you can send a message directly to decision-makers. You can keep the letter as-is or add your own thoughts — it’s your voice that matters.
LISTEN IN!
We also have three podcast episodes you can listen to on the go if you’re in the middle of harvest, detailing our Green Light, Yellow Light and Red Light positions.
We’ve reached a crossroads. The choices made in the coming weeks will define how fast, fair, and future-ready Canada’s seed system will be. We can’t afford to sit back. I encourage you to read our analysis, make your voice heard, and help build the system we all know Canada is capable of.
This is our moment—let’s make sure we get it right.