Seed Program Quality System Procedure - Official Crop Inspector Certification Procedures

QSP 142.4

12.0 APPENDICES

APPENDIX V: Written Evaluation Reference Documents

Basic

  • Seeds Act and Regulations
  • QSP 142.1 Pedigreed Seed Crop Inspection Procedures
  • All series 142 SWIs (crop specific)
  • Circular 6 - Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Pedigreed Seed Crop Inspection
  • Rogues and Roguing
  • Weed Seeds Order
  • Weed References
  • Powerpoint presentations prepared by the Seed program as part of the crop inspector certification training package.

Intermediate

In addition to the above :

  • Regulations and Procedures for Breeder Seed Production

Advanced

  • Industrial Hemp Technical Manual
  • SWI 144.1.1 Industrial Hemp Commercial Cultivation Inspection Procedures
  • QSP 144.1 Industrial Hemp Commercial Cultivation Inspection Program
  • QSP 142.3 Authorized Crop Inspection ServicesMonitoring and Auditing
  • CFIA Program Audit Policy
  • QSP 142.2 Authorized Crop Inspection Services
  • SWI 143.1 Procedures for Post-Harvest Inspections of Confined Field Trials of Plants with Novel Traits
  • SWI 143.3 Procedures for Current Year Inspections of Confined Field Trials of Plants with Novel Traits
  • Directive 2000-07 Conducting Confined Research Field Trials of Plant with Novel Traits in Canada

APPENDIX VI: Sample Written Evaluation Questions

Basic

a.

Q: Provide three examples of species which are cross-pollinated.
A: Brassica rapa, Corn, Buckwheat

b.

Q: When inspecting partially swathed crops, what must be reported?
A: The area that was swathed and not inspected must be reported, along with the isolation distances, land use and tag verification, percentage of crop that has been swathed where possible, information on the general weed condition.

c.

Q: How many acres would be in 25 hectares?
A: 25 ha. x 2.47 ac./ha. = 61.5 acres

d.

Q: True or False

  • It is acceptable to tell the grower that his field meets CSGA standards
  • Under no circumstances would you perform more than six counts
  • "Few" weeds means weeds are found throughout the crop at 5-20/100 m2

A: F, F,T.

Intermediate

a.

Q: Why should hemp growers be advised of impurities found in the first inspection as soon as possible?
A: In order to allow roguing prior to subsequent inspections.

b.

Q: When conducting a land use inspection, what weeds should you report?
A: Only prohibited noxious weeds.

c.

Q: Under what circumstances may a certified crop be produced from Certified seed?
A: When the CSGA declares that the Foundation and Registered seed supplies are not adequate to plant the required Certified acreage for a crop kind or for export under the OECD seed schemes.

d.

Q: True or False? Inspectors must report on anthracnose, bacterial blight and true loose smut.
A: True

e.

Q: True or False? Visual symptoms of field bean mosaic virus and halo blight must be reported in field beans.
A: False. Visual symptoms of anthracnose and common bacterial blight must be reported in field beans.

Advanced
Licensed Inspector Monitoring Specialization

a.

Q.: What crop kinds can a licensed inspector inspect?
A.: The specific crop kind(s) listed on his licence.

b.

Q.: What is the purpose of a surveillance audit
A.: To verify the on-going technical competence of the licensed crop inspector and to verify compliance with QSP 142.1 and associated Specific Work Instructions

c.

Q.: Name the three audit frequencies for licensed crop inspectors
A.: Tightened, normal and reduced

d.

Q.: What is the difference between a non-compliance and a non-conformance?
A.: A non-compliance is the failure to adhere to an Act or its Regulations, a non-conformance is The failure to comply with a requirement, standard, or procedure

Plant Biosafety Specialization:

e.

Q: What is the post-harvest land use restriction for corn?
A: One year

f.

Q: What is the isolation distance for wheat?
A: 30 meters

g.

Q: True or false. A Brassica juncea trial must be reproductively isolated from wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis)?
A: True

h.

Q: True or False. A pollen trap can be used as a reproductive isolation method for Brassica napus?
A: True

Industrial Hemp:

i.

Q: How do the Industrial Hemp Regulations define "industrial hemp"?
A: The plants and plant parts of the genera Cannabis, the leaves and flowering heads of which do not contain more than 0.3% THC w/w, and includes the derivatives of such plants and plant parts. It also includes the derivatives of non-viable cannabis seed. It does not include plant parts of the genera Cannabis that consist of non-viable cannabis seed, other than its derivatives, or of mature cannabis stalks that do not include leaves, flowers, bracts, seeds or branches, or of fibre derived from those stalks.

j.

Q: True or false. A hemp sample taken on behalf of Health Canada should be submitted with an LSTS form?
A: False

k.

Q: True or false. A hemp sample taken on behalf of a grower must be submitted to the Health Canada (DAS) laboratory?
A: False

l.

Q: True or False. Hemp field inspections should be conducted prior to flowering?
A: False

m.

Q: True or False. THC is a common GPS coordinate?
A: False

Appendix VII: Sample Practical Evaluations

Basic

(Critical:-11 to -21; Major -6 to -10; Minor: -1 to -5)
Task Number, Name & Description Type of Non-conformance Debit points Points Deducted Remarks
1. CROP LOCATION: For tasks 1(a) and 1(b) below, the candidate must be able to accurately read a map, locate and identify the crop to be inspected.
a) The candidate fails to arrive at the correct crop due to inability to read a map (do not discount due to: traffic/construction, vehicle problems, or illness). Critical 21    
b) The candidate drives on adjacent fields without permission from the grower. Minor 2    
2. SPECIES IDENTIFICATION: For tasks 2(a) and 1(b) below, the candidate must be able to accurately identify the species being inspected and the species surrounding that being inspected. [If the adjacent crops are obscure grasses, obscure crops, mixtures, pastures or very weedy crops, or if the adjacent crop is at a stage of growth that does not allow for proper identification, the candidate must not be penalized for inability to answer the question.]
a) The candidate is unable to identify the species of crop they are about to inspect. Critical 21    
b) The candidate is unable to identify the species of one or more of the surrounding crops. Major 7    
3. CROP GROWTH STAGE: For tasks 3(a) and 3(b) below, the candidate must be able to accurately identify and communicate the stage at which this species and time of day for inspection, where appropriate. Prompt the candidate: 'Is the field at an appropriate stage for crop inspection?' 'Provide an example of an inappropriate stage at which to inspect this crop.' [Wherever possible, the same questions of an adjacent field of another crop kind NOT ready for inspection should be asked in order to provide a true assessment of the inspectors' knowledge. However, the assessment should not be done twice.]
a) The candidate provides an incorrect answer regarding the crop inspection stage. Major 7    
b) The candidate is unable to articulate the best time of day at which inspection is appropriate (specify where applicable: i.e. flax). Minor 1    

Intermediate - Land Use Inspection

(Critical:-11 to -21; Major -6 to -10; Minor: -1 to -5)
Role Play: Candidate is presented with an application for land use inspection and is in conversation with the grower. The candidate is required, in conversation with the grower, to obtain as much accurate information as possible. CSGA notes that the most common misinformation is the pedigreed status of what was planted as opposed to the pedigreed status of what is being harvested. The candidate is required to submit a land use crop report containing the relevant information. (Reference Documents: QSP 142.1; Circular 6)
Task Number, Name & Description Type of Non-conformance Debit points Points Deducted Remarks
The candidate fails to:
1. Determine/report the species currently on the field in question. Critical 10    
2. Determine/report the variety currently on the field in question. Major 5    
3. Determine/report if the seed planted was Certified seed. Major 5    
4. Determine/report the exact acreage of the field in being requested for land use inspection. Major 5    
5. Accurately report land location. Major 5    
6. Determine/report the grower's planting intentions as to species and variety the following year. Major 5    
7. Determine/report if the crop grown in the previous year was inspected for pedigreed status. Minor 1    
8. Provide the crop certificate number for any pedigreed seed that was produced in that field in the previous year. Minor 1    
In addition to the above, the candidate is assessed on the following:
9. In the course of the role play, the candidate anticipates a CSGA decision. Major 5    
10. Based on the information provided in the scenario, the candidate fails to report information provided on prohibited noxious weeds. Major 5    
11. The candidate provides irrelevant information on the inspection reports. Minor 2    
Note: the maximum number of points that may be deducted from this section is 5. However, failure to determine the species currently on the field in question deemed a critical non-conformance will result in a 10 mark deduction.

The above examples represent a portion of the practical evaluations not the evaluations in their entirety.

A negative marking scheme will be used for the evaluation. The candidate will begin the evaluation with a mark of 100%. Marks will be deducted for non-conformances. Partially incorrect activities will be deducted part marks. The classification of non-conformances will be consistent with that used during monitoring or program audit (Appendix IV).

Advanced

For the Plant Biosafety and licensed inspector monitoring specialization, a practical evaluation is not required because the technical competencies have already been evaluated at the Basic and Intermediate levels.

For Licensed Inspector Monitoring, there will be no in-field demonstration of inspector proficiency . However, a portion of the written evaluations will involve a demonstration of practical skills required for this inspection.

Advanced - Scenario

CropSmart Agricultural Services is a crop inspection service authorized by CFIA for the inspection of Certified crops of flax. You will be organizing the monitoring of the inspectors, beginning with the first inspector, Fred Foxtail.

Part I:

How many crops will you monitor for Fred, based on his audit frequency and the number of crops he plans to inspect?

Name

Audit Frequency

Planned Inspections

No. of inspections to be monitored

Fred Foxtail

normal

150

?

Inspector file

Fred Foxtail has been an inspector with CropSmart since 2006. In 2007 and 2008 he was given corrective action requests for failing to verify previous land use. In 2008 he also failed to sign his reports.

Part II:

You have now inspected one of Fred Foxtail's crops. Compare your report with his, identify the non-conformance and write up one corrective action request. Descriptions of variety, inspection reports (your and Fred's), audit frequency calculation sheets and blank corrective action requests are attached. Please use the attached answer sheet for the identification and classification of non-conformances and the attached audit frequency calculation sheets to calculate the subsequent audit frequency.

APPENDIX VIII: Record of Invigilation Form

I, hereby confirm that I was present to invigilate when the following candidate(s) completed the written evaluation for crop inspector certification at the level.






LOCATION:

TIME OF EVALUATION:

By signing this form, the undersigned confirms that he or she supervised the writing of the above evaluation on the date indicated and that the administration of this evaluation was conducted in conformance with Seed Program QSP 142.4 Official Crop Inspection Certification Procedures.


Signature

Date
Appendix 1
Appendix 9