Seed variety registration changes now official

Planned changes to Canada's seed variety registration system are going ahead to make what the government calls a "more flexible" system, but what critics call a slippery slope to let seed companies ram unproven varieties through to market.

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said in a release Thursday that the amended Seeds Regulations, published this week in the Canada Gazette, will cut red tape in the system "while continuing to maintain the integrity of seed certification and environmental, food, and feed safety."

"By tailoring registration requirements on a crop-by-crop basis, we will increase the number of varieties available to producers and end users giving them more marketing opportunities," Ritz said.

"It is also expected that producers and end users will benefit from more timely access to new and improved, value added, and niche market varieties that are in demand in the marketplace."

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