Seeds Regulations (C.R.C., c. 1400)

Mixtures of Cereals

• 24 (1) Subject to subsection (2), every package of a mixture of cereal seeds of the kinds or species set out in Table III to Schedule I shall be labelled with the following information:

  • (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed;

  • (c) the name and percentage by weight of each kind or species of seed in the mixture; and

  • (d) the variety name of each variety of seed in the mixture, if applicable.

• (2) No Common No. 1 Cereal Mixture or Common No. 2 Cereal Mixture shall be labelled with a variety name.

Forage Crop Seed

25 Every package of seed of the kinds or species set out in Tables VIII to XII to Schedule I shall be labelled with the following information:

• (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

• (b) the name of the kind or species of seed;

• (c) the name of the grade of the seed;

• (d) the variety name of the seed, if applicable;

• (e) in the case of alfalfa and red clover seed that is imported, the country of origin of production and, if from the United States, the state of origin of production; and

• (f) in the case of seed that is red clover or of a mixture containing five per cent or more of red clover, the words “double-cut” or “single-cut”, the letters “DC” or “SC”, or the words “type not known”, as appropriate.

Forage Seed Mixtures

• 26 (1) Every package of a mixture of forage seeds of the kinds or species set out in Table XIII to Schedule I shall be labelled with the following information:

  • (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed;

  • (c) the name and percentage of each kind or species — and of each variety, if applicable — of seed that singly constitutes 3% or more by weight or, in the case of sweet clover, 1% or more by weight, of the mixture;

  • (d) the percentage by weight of the kinds or species of seed of the mixture not stated on the label pursuant to paragraph (c) preceded by the words “other kinds”; and

  • (e) in the case of alfalfa and red clover seed that is imported, the country of origin of production and, if from the United States, the state of origin of production, and the percentage included in the mixture.

• (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(d), the label may show the name and percentage of each kind or species of seed in a package that singly constitutes one per cent or more by weight of the mixture.

• (3) The information to be labelled on a package pursuant to subsections (1) and (2) shall be

  • (a) on the principal display panel of the package if the labelling information is on the package, or on one side of the tag if the labelling information is on the tag; and

  • (b) of a consistent size of type.

Lawn Grass and Turf Grass Seed

27 Every package of seed of the kinds or species set out in Tables XI and XII to Schedule I and represented for use as lawn grass or turf grass shall be labelled with the following information:

• (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

• (b) the name of the kind or species of seed;

• (c) the name of the grade of the seed; and

• (d) the variety name of the seed, if applicable.

Lawn Grass and Turf Grass Mixtures

• 28 (1) Every package of seed that is a lawn grass mixture or turf grass mixture shall be labelled with the following information:

  • (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed; and

  • (c) if the package contains more than 5 kg of seed, the name of each kind or species — and of each variety, if applicable — of seed that constitutes

    • (i) five per cent or more by weight of the mixture,

    • (ii) three per cent or more by weight of the mixture, in the case of bentgrasses, or

    • (iii) two per cent or more by weight of the mixture, in the case of white clover.

• (2) Where the name of any kind, species or variety of seed contained in a lawn grass mixture or turf grass mixture is stated on a label to the exclusion of the other kinds, species or varieties in the mixture, or in a manner to emphasize that name, the percentage by weight of that kind, species or variety in the mixture shall be stated on the label in the same size and colour of type as the name.

Ground Cover Mixtures

• 29 (1) A label shall not contain any words or designs to indicate or imply that seed that is a ground cover mixture is suitable for use on home lawns or for forage production.

• (2) Every package of seed that is a ground cover mixture shall be labelled with the following information:

  • (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed; and

  • (c) the name of each kind or species of seed

    • (i) that constitutes five per cent or more by weight of the mixture, or

    • (ii) that is listed in any provincial legislation as a noxious or restricted weed, where the seller, packager or labeller has the information referred to in subparagraph (i) and supplies the information in writing to purchasers on request.

• (3) Where the name of any kind, species or variety of seed contained in a ground cover mixture is stated on a label to the exclusion of the other kinds, species or varieties in the mixture, or in a manner to emphasize that name, the percentage by weight of that kind, species or variety in the mixture shall be stated on the label in the same size and colour of type as the name.

Flowers, Herbs, Roots, Vegetables and Other Miscellaneous Seed including Onion Sets and Multiplier Onions

30 Every package of seed of the kinds or species set out in Tables XVI to XXI to Schedule I and any kinds or species not set out in Schedule I shall be labelled with the following information:

• (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller;

• (b) the name of the kind or species — and of the variety, if applicable — of the seed, or in the case of mixtures, the name of each kind or species — and of the varieties — of the seed, if applicable;

• (c) if the seed is sold or offered for sale on the basis of grade, the name of the grade of the particular seed; and

• (d) if a germination standard is prescribed for a particular kind or species under subsection 6(1) and the seed is not sold on the basis of a grade of a seed,

  • (i) the year in which the seed was tested for germination pursuant to the appropriate test prescribed by section 11 or the year for which the seed was packaged, and

  • (ii) the percentage of germination of the seed or a minimum guaranteed percentage of germination.

Specialty Seed

• 31 (1) All seed that is specialty seed shall be labelled to indicate the kind or species of seed and the approximate percentage or net quantity of seed in the product.

• (2) Every package of seed that is a specialty seed shall be labelled with the following information:

  • (a) the name and address of the seller, packager or labeller; and

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed, if applicable.

• (3) In addition to the labelling requirements referred to in subsection (2), every package of seed that is a specialty seed shall be labelled with the information required by the appropriate section of these Regulations with respect to that seed.

Seed Packaging and Official Tags

• 32 (1) An official tag shall only be applied by or under the direction of an inspector or accredited grader.

• (2) Except where seed is labelled with a Canada Substandard grade name, an official tag shall only contain the information required pursuant to sections 33 to 36.

• 33 (1) Subject to subsection (3) and sections 35 and 37, every package of seed derived from a crop grown and conditioned in Canada and graded with a Canada pedigreed grade name shall be fastened and tagged with a domestic tag.

• (2) The domestic tag shall contain the following information:

  • (a) the name of the kind or species of seed;

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed;

  • (c) the variety name of the seed, or in the case of a PPTM varietal blend, the names of the varieties in the blend;

  • (d) except in the case of a mixture set out in Table III, XIII or XIV of Schedule I, the crop certificate number or, in the case of a blend of two or more original seed lots of certified status, whether of the same variety or a PPTM varietal blend, the two-digit seed year designation followed by the word “BLEND”; and

  • (e) the lot number.

• (3) An approved conditioner registered pursuant to Part IV is exempt from subsection (1) where

  • (a) the seed is of certified status;

  • (b) the package of seed has been fastened and labelled by that approved conditioner;

  • (c) the name of the seller, packager or labeller is marked on the package, and

    • (i) the information required by subsection (2) is marked on the package and the layout of the information, the area marked and the colour conform to the domestic tag, or

    • (ii) in the case of packages containing 2 kg or less of seed, the words “Certified Seed” appear in a blue rectangle that meets the colour requirements of the official tag and that has a length to width ratio of approximately 2:1 and the information set out in paragraphs (2)(a) to (c) and (e) appears elsewhere on the package; and

  • (d) in the case of packages referred to in subparagraph (c)(i), each time the approved conditioner proposes to obtain those packages, the approved conditioner notifies the Agency of that proposal.

• (4) The approved conditioner referred to in subsection (3) shall maintain complete and up-to-date records concerning the requests for and disposal of any package referred to in that subsection for a period of not less than two years following the disposal of the package.

• 34 (1) Subject to subsections (3) and (5) and sections 35 and 37, every package of seed derived in whole or in part from a crop not grown and conditioned in Canada and graded with a Canada pedigreed grade name shall be fastened and tagged with an inter-agency certification tag.

• (2) The inter-agency certification tag shall contain the following information:

  • (a) the name of the kind or species of seed;

  • (b) the name of the grade of the seed;

  • (c) the variety name of the seed or, in the case of a PPTM varietal blend, the names of the varieties in the blend;

  • (d) the lot number;

  • (e) the state or country of the official certifying agency; and

  • (f) the pedigreed reference number of the official certifying agency.

• (3) An approved conditioner registered pursuant to Part IV is exempt from subsection (1) where

  • (a) the seed is of certified status;

  • (b) the package of seed has been fastened and labelled by that approved conditioner;

  • (c) the name of the seller, packager or labeller is marked on the package, and

    • (i) the information required by subsection (2) is marked on the package and the layout of the information, the area marked and the colour conform to the inter-agency certification tag, or

    • (ii) in the case of packages containing 2 kg or less of seed the words “Certified Seed” appear in a blue rectangle that meets the colour requirements of the official tag and that has a length to width ratio of approximately 2:1 and the information set out in paragraphs (2)(a) to (e) appears elsewhere on the package; and

  • (d) in the case of packages referred to in subparagraph (c)(i), each time the approved conditioner proposes to obtain those packages, the approved conditioner notifies the Agency of that proposal.

• (4) The approved conditioner referred to in subsection (3) shall maintain complete and up-to-date records concerning the requests for and disposal of any package referred to in that subsection for a period of not less than two years following the disposal of the package.

• (5) A package of seed of certified status is exempt from subsection (1) if

  • (a) the package bears a label that was issued or approved by an official certifying agency and that indicates that the seed is of pedigreed status;

  • (b) in the case of seed labelled with a Canada pedigreed grade name in Canada, the Canada pedigreed grade name appears on a document that accompanies each sale of the seed and that bears the name of the person selling the seed; and

  • (c) in the case of seed imported into Canada labelled with a Canada pedigreed grade name, the Canada pedigreed grade name and the accredited grader number appear on a label attached to or printed directly on each package of seed.