Seed Program Regulatory Authority Standard SPRA 101 - Definitions, acronyms and references for the seed program
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- Date
- Contact
- Review
- Endorsement
- Distribution
- 0.0 Introduction
- 1.0 Scope
- 2.0 Definitions
- 3.0 Acronyms
- 4.0 References
Date
Version 2.0 of Definitions and Acronyms for the Seed Program was issued October 25, 2014.
Contact
The contact person for this Seed Program Regulatory Authority Standard is the National Manager, Seed Section.
Review
This Seed Program Regulatory Authority (SPRA) Standard is subject to periodic review. Amendments will be issued as necessary so that the SPRA Standard continues to meet current needs.
Endorsement
This Seed Program Regulatory Authority Standard is hereby approved.
Director, Plant Production Division
Date
Distribution
The most up-to-date version of this document will be maintained on the CFIA web site. The National Manager, Seed Section will maintain the signed original.
0.0 Introduction
As a technical science and specialized field of activity, pedigreed seed production and certification often involves the use of technical and specific jargon as well as references and acronyms. This Seed Program Regulatory Authority (SPRA) standard provides a list of the common terms and their definitions as established by legislation, regulations or standards, or by common understanding. These definitions apply in all seed program documents.
This SPRA also provides a list of acronyms commonly used in seed program documentation and lists standards, guidelines and other references applicable to the development and implementation of the seed program.
1.0 Scope
This SPRA standard defines the fundamental terms relating to the seed program, as they apply to all areas, for the preparation and use in seed program design and documentation and for mutual understanding.
Definitions contained within seed program documentation may expand on general definitions contained herein.
2.0 Definitions
In addition to the definitions contained in this document, for the purposes of this SPRA, the definitions contained in the Seeds Act and the Seeds Regulations also apply.
The definitions contained herein are specific to the uses of these terms in Seed Program documents, and are based on internationally accepted or commonly accepted usages. Definitions taken from other sources reference the source in brackets ( ) after the definition.
- Accreditation
- procedure by which an authoritative body gives formal recognition that a body or person is competent to carry out specific tasks (ISO Guide 2)
- Agency
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Alternative Service Delivery (ASD)
- organizational approaches (including privatization) that government could use to deliver services (Government of Canada, Dept. of Finance)
- Authorized Service Provider (ASP)
- an individual or entity that is licensed by the CFIA to conduct activities subject to the conditions of the licence
- Applicant
- an individual or entity that has communicated a request for registration, accreditation or other authorization to carry out a specific activity
- Approved Conditioner (AC)
- an establishment that prepares seed of pedigreed status and in respect of which a registration as an approved conditioner is in force (section 78, Seeds Regulations)
- Assignee
- a party that is assigned by the seed grower to receive a seed crop certificate and who takes responsibility for a seed lot
- Audit
- a systematic examination to determine whether activities and related results comply with the planned arrangements and whether these arrangements are implemented effectively and are suitable to achieve objectives (ISO 8402:1994)
- Audit Criteria
- the criteria against which an audit is conducted; principally, the auditee's quality manual and procedures, and the Seed Program SPRAs, QSPs, SWIs, and standards in Acts and Regulations administered by the CFIA
- Audit Scope
- the organizational activities and physical locations which are included in the audit
- Audit Team
- the group of auditors, one of whom is the lead auditor
- Auditee(s)
- the individual or entity to be audited
- Auditor
- an individual who conducts audits
- Authorized
- having received written permission to perform specified activities described in the authorization; see Licence
- Authorized Exporter (AE)
- a seed establishment authorized by the CFIA to sample, seal and label seed for export, subject to the conditions of the authorization
- Authorized Exporter Program (AEP)
- a CFIA program whereby:
- registered seed establishments are authorized to sample, seal and label seed certified for export pursuant to the OECD Seed Schemes; and
- accredited seed laboratories are authorized to test seed and issue reports of analysis for export seed lots
- Authorized Importer (AI)
- an establishment that prepares imported seed and in respect of which a registration as an authorized importer is in force (section 78, Seeds Regulations)
- Authorized Seed Crop Inspection Service (ASCIS)
- an entity licensed by the CFIA pursuant to subsection 4.2(1) of the Seeds Act to provide pedigreed seed crop inspection services; a type of Authorized Service Provider
- Breeder status seed
- seed recognized by the CSGA as being seed of a variety (or cultivar) that has been produced by a recognized plant breeder, or a plant breeder responsible for the maintenance of the variety, under conditions which have ensured that the specific traits of the variety have been maintained; the source for the initial and recurring increases of seed for pedigreed status seed (CSGA)
- Bulk seed
- seed not packaged in a fastened container (section 78, Seeds Regulations)
- Bulk Storage Facility (BSF)
- an establishment that stores in bulk seed graded with a Canada pedigreed grade name and in respect of which a registration as a bulk storage facility is in force (section 78, Seeds Regulations)
- Canadian Wheat Board Area
- that part of Canada comprising
- (a) the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta; and
- (b) those parts of British Columbia known as the Peace River District and the Creston-Wynndell Area
- Candidate
- an individual seeking accreditation as competent to carry out a specific activity
- Certificate
- written assurance, issued by a third party that a product, process or service conforms to specified requirements (ISO, Guide 2)
- Certification
- procedure by which a third party gives written assurance that a product, process or service conforms to specified requirements (ISO Guide 2)
- Certification Agency
- an agency that conducts certification activities
- Certified (uppercase C) status seed (CERT)
- the approved progeny of Breeder, Select, Foundation or Registered status seed produced by seed growers, that has been managed to maintain varietal identity and purity; the class of seed recommended for commercial crop production (CSGA, Circular 6)
- certified (lowercase c) seed
- seed that has been officially certified; may apply to any generation of seed
- Common seed
- non-pedigreed seed
- Complete Systems Audit
- an audit carried out on all elements of a quality management system
- Condition
- with respect to seed, means to prepare seed by cleaning, processing, packing, treating, or changing in any other manner the nature of a seed lot (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Conformity Verification Audit
- an audit conducted periodically to verify the conformity of the activities of an individual or establishment with the documented procedures of their approved quality management system
- Conformity Verification Body (CVB)
- an independent body that has an agreement with the Agency under subsection 14(1) of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act to administer specific tasks, including assessing, recommending for acceptance and subsequent audit of establishments, operators, graders, samplers or laboratories that process, import, sample, test, grade or label seeds (subsection 2(1), Seeds Regulations)
- Correction
- repair, rework or adjustment related to the disposition of an existing non-conformity (ISO)
- Corrective Action
- action taken to eliminate the causes of an existing non-conformity, defect or other undesirable situation in order to prevent recurrence (ISO)
- Corrective Action Request (CAR)
- a request issued by the auditor for a corrective action to take place to bring an entity, establishment or product into compliance or conformance; the documentation of a non-conformance
- Critical Non-conformance
- a deviation from the documented quality management system such that conformance with the stated procedures is absent and the deviation will have significant effect on the quality of the product
- Crop Certificate (CC)
- a document issued by the Canadian Seed Growers' Association which certifies that the seed crop identified on the certificate has met the seed crop standards of the CSGA for the crop kind and stated pedigreed class (adapted from CSGA, Circular 6)
- Cross-pollinated crop kind
- a species of plant which is fertilized by pollen from another plant in order to produce a viable seed, e.g., corn; as opposed to self-pollinated, capable of being fertilized with pollen from the same plant, e.g., wheat
- Description of Variety (DoV)
- the description of the inheritable characteristics of a variety; used for variety registration, crop inspection and variety verification testing; provided by the responsible plant breeder at the time of application for registration through the CFIA's Variety Registration Office, or eligibility for certification through CSGA
- Determinate Growth Habit
- the terminal bud ceases vegetative activity when flowering begins
- Fastened (Sealed)
- with respect to a package [of seed] means sealed in such a manner that it is impossible to open the package easily without leaving evidence of it having been opened (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Foundation status seed (FDN)
- the approved progeny of Breeder or Select status seed produced by seed growers recognized by the CSGA for the production of seed of this class, and which has been managed to maintain its specific varietal identity and purity (adapted from CSGA, Circular 6)
- GB Grader
- an individual who has been accredited to sample and examine seed of the large seeded crop kinds listed in Tables I – VI and XVIII of Schedule I to the Seeds Regulations to establish the grade of the seed lot
- GD Grader
- an individual who has been accredited to establish the grade of a seed lot based on a review of documents attesting to the quality of the seed
- Heterogeneous
- not being relatively uniform
- Homogeneous
- being relatively uniform; in the case of a seed lot, the lot will be as uniform as practicable
- Hybrid
- the first generation progeny of a cross between two parental plant lines intended to reproduce specific parental characteristics in the first generation (F1) progeny; not intended for further propagation; an assemblage of cultivated plants which is clearly distinguished by any characters (morphological, cytological, chemical or others) and for which the maintainer has specified a particular formula of hybridisation (OECD)
- Indeterminate growth habit
- the terminal bud continues vegetative activity throughout the growing season
- Inspection
- evaluation for conformity (or compliance) by measuring, observing, testing or gauging the relevant characteristics (ISO Guide 2)
- Inspector
- an employee of the CFIA who is designated as an inspector pursuant to section 13 of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act (section 5, Seeds Act)
- Investigation sample (INV)
- a sample which may be used as evidence in a court case and for which the continuity of possession must be maintained
- Label
- includes any legend, word, mark, symbol or design applied or attached to, included in, belonging to or accompanying any seed or package (subsection 2, Seeds Act)
- Lead Auditor
- an individual who has completed advanced training and is qualified to lead an audit team
- Lead Inspector
- a senior inspector of an Authorized Seed Crop Inspection Service who is responsible for providing guidance to Licensed Seed Crop Inspectors
- Licence
- the authorization, permission, or other recognition granted by the CFIA to an external party permitting the external party to perform activities specified in the licence
- Licensed Seed Crop Inspector (LSCI)
- a private individual licensed under subsection 4.2(1) of the Seeds Act to inspect pedigreed seed crops and complete Reports of Seed Crop Inspection
- Licensed Operator
- an individual licensed by the CFIA, who supervises all operations in a registered seed establishment and who is ultimately responsible, where applicable, for the proper handling, storage, sampling, testing, processing [conditioning], grading, labelling and documentation of seed in the establishment (section 93(1), Seeds Regulations)
- Licensed Sampler
- an individual licensed under subsection 13.1(2.1) of the Seeds Regulations to sample seed; an individual licensed to obtain and prepare officially recognized seed samples according to officially recognized standard methods (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Lot designation
- a number, mark, symbol or test number that identifies a seed lot (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Major Non-conformance
- a significant deviation from the documented quality management system such that the program integrity or the ability of the facility to meet the requirements of the regulations or the standards is in doubt; if continued without correction, the deficiency may result in the process or the product not meeting the regulations or standards
- Meets with tolerance (MWT)
- a measure of the conformity of a product with a standard such that the criterion tested is within an acceptable range of statistical probability (tolerance) of the standard
- Mini-bulk containers
- a container that holds 250-2000 kg of seed
- Minor Non-conformance
- a deviation from the quality management system that results in a decrease in confidence in the facility's ability to meet the regulations or standards, but does not affect the overall performance of the quality management system
- Monitoring
- periodic, targeted verification of processes or products to confirm that quality control parameters are maintained within specifications; includes audits, inspections, sampling, surveys or other activities
- National Designated Authority (NDA)
- the authority designated by, and responsible to, the government of a country participating in the OECD Seed Schemes for the purpose of implementing the Rules and Regulations of the OECD Seed Schemes (OECD Seed Schemes)
- Non-compliance
- failure to meet legal requirements such as those in legislation and regulation
- Non-conformance
- failure to fulfill requirements, including implementation of the procedures in a documented quality management system, or in the case of a product, a non-regulatory standard; failure by a product, process or service to fulfill specified requirements (ISO, Guide 2)
- OECD Basic status seed (OECD B or OB)
- the progeny of Pre-Basic status seed which has been produced under the responsibility of the variety maintainer and according to generally accepted practices for the maintenance of the variety; intended for the production of Certified seed; equivalent to Canada Registered status of self-pollinated crop kinds, and Foundation status of open-pollinated crop kinds (OECD Seed Schemes)
- OECD Certified 1st Generation status seed (OECD C1 or OC1)
- the first generation of seed produced from Basic seed, equivalent to Canada Certified status seed; intended for the production of either Certified seed or crops for purposes other than seed production; in Canada, only Certified 1st generation is recognized as equivalent to Canadian Certified status seed (OECD Seed Schemes)
- OECD Certified 2nd Generation (OECD C2 or OC2)
- seed produced from OECD Certified 1st Generation seed; no equivalent Canadian pedigree, considered as Common status seed in Canada except in special circumstances; eligible for export (OECD Seed Schemes)
- OECD Not Finally Certified status seed (OECD NFC or ONFC)
- seed from a crop which has met field standards but has not yet been finally certified as OECD Basic or OECD Certified seed pending purity and germination testing of the seed (OECD Seed Schemes)
- OECD Pre-Basic status seed (OECD PB or OPB)
- seed, produced by plant breeders, planted to produce OECD Pre-Basic or Basic status seed; equivalent to Breeder or Select status of self-pollinated crop kinds and Breeder or Foundation status of open-pollinated crop kinds; the breeder may produce multiple generations of Pre-Basic seed from the same line but the seed must be labelled to indicate the number of generations prior to OECD Certified 1st Generation (OECD Seed Schemes)
- OECD Seed Schemes
- OECD Schemes for the Varietal Certification or the Control of Seed in Moving in International Trade
- OECD tag / label
- the official label attached to seed certified pursuant to the OECD Seed Schemes, indicating the species, variety name, pedigree status, lot reference number, and country of origin, among other information
- Off-type
- a plant that deviates in one or more characteristics from the official description of the variety (CSGA, Circular 6)
- Official Certifying Agency
- an organization in a foreign state that is empowered by the government of that state to certify seed crops as to varietal purity, where that state is a participating member of the OECD Seed Schemes or a member of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Official Reference Control Sample
- an official sample of Breeder status seed submitted with the application for variety registration to the CFIA's Variety Registration Office or the application for eligibility for certification through the CSGA; used as the variety standard for comparisons with seed of the variety from subsequent generations
- Official Seed Crop Inspector
- an individual employed by the CFIA who is certified to conduct inspection of pedigreed seed crops and complete Reports of Seed Crop Inspection in support of the issuance of a crop certificate
- Official Seed Sampler
- an employee of the CFIA who is designated as an inspector pursuant to section 13 of the CFIA Act and who is trained, evaluated and certified to sample seed
- Official Tag
- a label that is issued or approved by the CFIA in respect of seed having pedigreed status; used to identify the variety, identity, origin and pedigree status of a seed lot; certification
- Officially-Recognized Laboratory
- a seed testing laboratory that is designated by the Minister as an accredited laboratory under section 2(1) of the Seeds Act
- Officially-Recognized Sample
- a sample of seed that has been
- (a) drawn by or under the supervision of a licensed sampler and prepared by a licensed sampler according to recognized standard methods; or
- (b) drawn and prepared according to recognized standard methods by an individual accredited to do so by
- (i) a government body, or an officially recognized body, that has the authority to regulate the import, export or marketing of seed,
- (ii) an official certifying agency, or
- (iii) a seed testing laboratory accredited by the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) to issue international seed lot certificates, if the sample is to be tested by the accrediting laboratory or by another laboratory accredited by ISTA
- Officially-Recognized Test
- a test performed according to recognized standard methods on an officially-recognized sample in an officially-recognized laboratory or, in the case of determinations of impurities in the kinds or species set out in Tables I to VI and XVIII of Schedule I or seeds of similar size, an accredited grader (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Open-pollinated (OP)
- seed produced as a result of un-controlled pollination, as opposed to hybrid seed produced as a result of a controlled pollination (CSGA)
- Orange International Certificate (OIC)
- a certificate issued according to the Rules of the International Seed Testing Association that attests to the quality of a seed lot
- Out of Tolerance (OT)
- a measure of a criterion that fails to meet a specified standard even when a range of statistical variation (tolerance) from the standard is applied
- Partial Systems Audit
- an audit carried out on specific sub-components of a quality management system as compared to a full systems audit
- Pedigreed seed crop
- a seed crop for which the CSGA, based on a Report of Seed Crop Inspection and conformity with certification requirements, has issued a crop certificate indicating that the crop has been granted Breeder, Select, Foundation, Registered or Certified crop status
- Pedigreed seed
- seed that is derived from a pedigreed seed crop and recognized as of Select, Foundation, Registered or Certified status
- Phytosanitary Certificate (PC)
- an official certificate issued by National Plant Protection Organization of a country attesting to the phytosanitary status of an export commodity
- Post-control
- variety verification testing of Certified status seed which is not further multiplied (OECD Seed Schemes)
- Pre-control
- variety verification testing of early generation seed prior to Certified status (OECD Seed Schemes)
- Primary sample
- a small portion taken from the seed lot during one single sampling action (SWI 132.1.1)
- Producer
- a grower of crops not intended for further propagation, but intended for human or animal consumption or processing
- Progeny
- the offspring of plants
- Quality Management
- all activities of the overall management function that determine the quality policy, objectives and responsibilities and implement them by means such as quality planning, quality control, quality assurance and quality improvement within the quality system (ISO)
- Quality Management System (QMS)
- a documented system of policies and procedures established, implemented and regularly reviewed and improved by an individual or entity, and intended to result in the consistent production of a quality product
- Quality verification (QV)
- a procedure to verify the correct implementation of a process; can include inspection, obtaining a sample, or testing a sample as part of a Quality Management System
- Quality System Procedure (QSP)
- a document that specifies, as applicable, the purpose and scope of an activity and the quality parameters that must be respected
- Re-certification
- the production of an additional generation of Certified status seed from Certified seed upon permission of the CSGA or for export purposes
- Recognized Standard Method
for testing seed means the:
- (a) Canadian Methods and Procedures for Testing Seed,
- (b) Rules for Testing Seed, published by the Association of Official Seed Analysts, as amended from time to time, or
- (c) International Rules for Seed Testing, published by the International Seed Testing Association, as amended from time to time
- Regional Seed Officer (RSO)
- any CFIA personnel designated as responsible for seed programs in a region including a Regional Program Officer, Inspection Manager, or senior seed inspector
- Registered Seed Establishment (RSE)
- an establishment registered by the CFIA to condition, store or import seed and which is audited by the Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) for compliance with the Seeds Act, the Seeds Regulations and CSI standards
- Registered status seed (REG)
- the progeny of Breeder, Select or Foundation seed produced by seed growers recognized by the CSGA and managed to maintain varietal identity and purity (CSGA, Circular 6)
- Reject Number
- a statistical determination of the variance permitted from a standard before the criterion is considered to not meet the standard; a calculation of statistical variation; tolerance
- Report of Seed Crop Inspection
- a form on which the seed crop inspector describes the seed crop offered for pedigreed status and which is appraised by the CSGA to determine if the crop as described meets the requirements of the CSGA (CSGA, Circular 6)
- Retained sample
- a sample that represents the seed lot and is drawn by or under the authority of the person responsible for the seed lot and according to appropriate sampling methods, clearly identified to crop kind, variety and lot number, stored in a manner that maintains integrity, and retained as objective evidence of the quality of the seed lot that it represents
- Schedule I
- Schedule I to the Seeds Regulations which specifies the purity and germination standards for seed; the Grade Tables
- Seed crop varietal purity standards
- the standards established by the Association of Official Seed Certification Agencies (ASOCA) and approved by the CSGA for the maximum number of off-types, other crop kinds and other impurities in a seed crop field; the CSGA applies AOSCA standards for the certification of seed crops
- Seed Grower
- a member of the CSGA who grows pedigreed seed
- Seed Import Conformity Assessor (SICA)
- an individual who has been accredited to assess the conformity of seed with minimum import standards based on a review of documentation
- Seed lot
- a quantity of seed, each portion of which is, within reasonable limits, uniform with respect to purity, germination, variety, type and quality (subsection 2(2), Seeds Regulations)
- Seed Program Regulatory Authority Standard (SPRA)
- a document published by the Seed Section of the CFIA that describes the supporting legislative and regulatory authority for specific related seed programs
- Seed sample container
- those types of containers that maintain the integrity of the sample
- Seed varietal purity standards
- the standards established by AOSCA and approved by the CFIA for the maximum number of weed seeds and other impurities in a seed lot by crop kind and pedigreed status
- Seed Year
- the period beginning on July 1 of a year and ending on June 30 of the following year
- Select status seed (SEL)
- the progeny of Breeder or Select seed produced in a manner to maintain its varietal identity and purity by seed growers who have been granted Select plot grower status by the CSGA (CSGA, Circular 6)
- Self-pollinated crop kind
- a species of plants capable of producing viable seed from fertilization with pollen from the same plant, e.g., wheat; as opposed to cross-pollination requiring pollen from another plant for the production of a viable seed, e.g., corn
- Semi-Determinate growth habit
- the terminal bud continues vegetative growth after flowering but terminates this growth before indeterminate types
- Specific Work Instruction (SWI)
- a document published by the Seed Section of the CFIA that contains detailed directions on how to deliver a specified activity
- Static bulk lot
- a quantity of seed that is moved from the original storage container to facilitate the drawing of an official sample; quantity of seed temporarily stored in a conveyance bin such as a truck box, railway car or trailer
- Stream sample
- a primary sample obtained from the entire cross-section of a moving flow of seed using an automatic sampler or an approved manual sampling tool
- Sub-sample
- a portion of the composite sample that is obtained by mixing and dividing the composite sample by an approved method
- Submitted sample
- a sample submitted to a seed testing laboratory; may comprise either the whole or a sub-sample of the composite sample
- Surveillance
- activities that provide for observations, samples, or other information on a broad range of geographic areas, regulated parties, products or other defined sectors
- Systems Audit
- an audit of the quality management system of an entity prior to and in support of on-going registration, licensing, accreditation or authorization to determine the quality management system's capacity to conform to the related standards and regulations or conditions of the registration, accreditation or authorization
- Un-tampered sample
- a sample that has been drawn in accordance with approved sampling and/or mixing and dividing methods and which has not been examined, altered or tested in any manner
- Variant
- any seed or plant which:
- (a) is distinct within the variety but occurs naturally within the variety;
- (b) is stable and predictable with a degree of reliability compared to other varieties of the same kind, within known tolerances; and
- (c) is described as a variant in the official variety description (CSGA, Circular 6)
- Varietal Blend (VB)
- a seed mixture that contains two or more varieties of the same kind or species
- Varietal Certificate
- a certificate provided by the CFIA attesting to the varietal identity of a seed lot certified pursuant to the OECD Seed Schemes
- Varietal Identity (VI)
- a measure of the trueness to type of a variety based on an assessment of the characteristics resulting from a given genotype or combination of genotypes used to identify the crop or seed
- Varietal Purity (VP)
- a measure of the proportion of plants or seeds within a population that conform to the description of the variety based on an assessment of the number of off-types in the crop or seed
- Variety
- an assemblage of cultivated plants, including hybrids constituted by controlled cross-pollination, that
- (a) are distinguished by common morphological, physiological, cytological, chemical or other characteristics; and
- (b) retain their distinguishing characteristics when reproduced
- Variety Verification (VV)
- seed testing to determine the varietal purity and varietal identity of a seed lot represented by the sample that is tested; may include field plot grow-out, and biochemical or molecular testing
- Volunteer Plant
- unwanted plants growing from residual seeds from the previous crop or a replanted crop
- Working Day
- every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday except recognized national public holidays (e.g., Christmas Day, New Year's Day)
- Working sample
- a sub-sample taken from the submitted sample in the laboratory and used for quality analysis or other tests
3.0 Acronyms
The following acronyms apply to Seed Section documents including any SPRA, QSP, SWI, or manual or procedures documents.
- AAFC
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- AC
- Approved Conditioner
- AE
- Authorized Exporter
- AEL
- Authorized Exporter Laboratory
- AEP
- Authorized Exporter Program
- AES
- Authorized Exporter Sampler
- AI
- Authorized Importer
- AOS
- Area Operations Specialist (Seed)
- AOSA
- Association of Official Seed Analysts
- AOSCA
- Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies
- ASCIS
- Authorized Seed Crop Inspection Service
- ASD
- Alternative Service Delivery
- BOT
- Below grade, out of tolerance
- BR
- Breeder status seed
- BSF
- Bulk Storage Facility
- BWT
- Below grade, within tolerance
- CA
- Certificate of Analysis (issued by Fallowfield lab)
- CAR
- Corrective Action Request
- CC
- Crop Certificate
- CERT
- Certified status
- CFIA
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Circular 6
- CSGA Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Pedigreed Seed Crop Production (Circular 6)
- CSAAC
- Commercial Seed Analysts Association of Canada
- CSGA
- Canadian Seed Growers' Association
- CSI
- Canadian Seed Institute
- CSTA
- Canadian Seed Trade Association
- CVB
- Conformity Verification Body
- DOK
- Declined for Other Kinds
- DoV
- Description of Variety
- DOV
- Declined for Other Varieties
- EC
- European Commission
- EU
- European Union
- Fallowfield
- Ottawa Plant Laboratory – Fallowfield, CFIA
- FDN
- Foundation status seed
- HC
- Health Canada
- HVS
- Higher voluntary standard
- ISO
- International Organization for Standardization
- ISTA
- International Seed Testing Association
- JHA
- Job Hazard Analysis
- LSCI
- Licensed Seed Crop Inspector
- LSTS
- Laboratory Sample Tracking System
- M & P
- Canadian Methods and Procedures for Testing Seed
- M
- Meets the labelled grade
- MRRS
- Management Resources and Results Structure
- MSDS
- Material Safety Data Sheet
- MWT
- Meets the grade, with tolerance
- NDA
- National Designated Authority
- NFC
- Not Finally Certified
- OECD
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
- OECD B
- OECD Basic status (OB)
- OECD C1
- OECD Certified 1st Generation status (OC1)
- OECD C2
- OECD Certified 2nd Generation status (OC2)
- OECD NFC
- OECD Not Finally Certified
- OECD PB
- OECD Pre-Basic status (OPB)
- OIC
- Orange International Certificate (ISTA)
- OSH
- Occupational Safety and Health
- OT
- Out of tolerance
- OVD
- Demoted for Other Varieties
- PPE
- Personal protective equipment
- P & G
- Purity and Germination
- PC
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- PNT
- Plant with a Novel Trait
- PRS
- Product Registration System (CFIA)
- QMS
- Quality Management System
- QSP
- Quality System Procedure
- QV
- Quality verification
- REG
- Registered status seed
- RPO
- Regional Program Officer
- ROA
- Report of Analysis (seed) (also SAC)
- RSE
- Registered Seed Establishment
- RSO
- Regional Seed Officer
- SAC
- Seed Analysis Certificate (also ROA)
- SCST
- Society of Commercial Seed Technologists
- SEL
- Select status seed
- SICA
- Seed Import Conformity Assessor
- SLAAP
- Seed Laboratory Accreditation and Audit Protocol
- SPRA
- Seed Program Regulatory Authority
- SSF
- Sample Submission Form
- SSTS
- Seed Science and Technology Section, Saskatoon Laboratory
- SWI
- Specific Work Instruction
- VI
- Varietal Identity
- VP
- Varietal Purity
- VRO
- Variety Registration Office
- VV
- Variety Verification
- WHMIS
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
- WTO
- World Trade Organization
4.0 References
This SPRA identifies the references relating to the seed program, as they apply to all areas of seed program design and documentation. These references allow for a common foundation in understanding the seed program documents.
In all cases, the most recent version of the references should be consulted.
4.1 Legislation and Regulations
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency Act
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice
- Plant Protection Act
- Plant Protection Regulations
- Safe Food for Canadians Act
- Seeds Act
- Seeds Regulations
- Weed Seeds Order, 2005
4.2 CFIA Seed Program Regulatory Authority Standards, Quality Systems Procedures and Specific Work Instructions
Seed program documentation is developed in a hierarchical structure.
The Seed Program Regulatory Authority (SPRA) describes the supporting legislative and regulatory authority for specific related seed programs. The numerical codes applied to the SPRAs are as follows:
- SPRA 101 – Definitions, Acronyms and References
- SPRA 121 – Training
- SPRA 131 – Seed Certification
- SPRA 141 – Seed Crop Inspection
- SPRA 151 – Seed Exports
- SPRA 161 – Seed Imports
- SPRA 171 – Seed Testing
- SPRA 181 – Marketplace Monitoring
- SPRA 231 – Requirements for Formal Recognition of Conformity Verification Bodies Providing Services in Support of the Seed Certification Program
The Quality Systems Procedure (QSP) establishes the quality parameters for delivery of the specified seed programs that derive from the regulatory authority. There may be multiple QSPs under a single SPRA. QSPs are coded numerically as follows:
- QSP 1xx.1 describes the quality procedures for delivery of the activity (e.g., crop inspection, seed sampling);
- QSP 2xx.2 describes the quality procedures for accreditation of entities (individuals or organizations) external to the CFIA who deliver the activity;
- QSP 1xx.3 describes the quality procedures for the on-going surveillance and monitoring of the accredited entity; and
- QSP 1xx.4 describes the quality procedures for the certification of CFIA personnel to conduct the activity.
The Specific Work Instructions (SWI) provide detailed operational guidance for inspectors, program officers, other CFIA personnel and in some cases, external partners and industry personnel for the actual delivery of the specified seed program. SWIs are derived from the QSPs. There may be multiple SWIs under a single QSP. SWIs are numerically coded in the same way as QSPs as follows:
- SWI 1xx.1.1 describes the detailed actions to be followed to deliver the program activity;
- SWI 1xx.2.1 describes the detailed actions to be followed to accredit an entity to deliver the program activity;
- SWI 1xx.3.1 describes the detailed actions to be followed to conduct on-going surveillance and oversight of the accredited entity; and
- SWI 1xx.4.1 describes the detailed actions to be followed to conduct on-going surveillance and oversight of the certified CFIA personnel.
Additional guidance documents, forms, explanatory notes, and other written materials are appended to, referenced in, or serve as supplementary information to the above documents as required from time to time.
Following is a list of the Seed Program documents currently in use. From time to time, other documents may be created or re-established from previous documents.
- SPRA Standard 101 - Definitions, Acronyms and References for the Seed Program
- SPRA Standard 111 - Design of Seed Programs
- SPRA Standard 121 - Training Requirements
- SPRA Standard 131 - Seed Certification
- QSP 132.1 - Seed Certification
- SWI 132.1.1 - Official Seed Sampling
- Issuance and Approval of Official Seed Tags
- SWI 132.3.2 - Cancelled and Suspended Registered Seed Establishment Visits
- QSP 132.4 - Official Seed Sampler Certification
- QSP 132.1 - Seed Certification
- SPRA Standard 141 - Crop Inspection
- QSP 142.1 - Seed Crop Inspection
- SWI 142.1.1 – Pedigreed Seed Crop Inspection
- SWI 142.1.2-1 - Hybrid Corn Inspection Procedures
- SWI 142.1.2-2 - Cereal Crop Inspection
- SWI 142.1.2-3 - Pulse Crop Inspection
- SWI 142.1.2-4 - Cruciferous Crop Inspection
- SWI 142.1.2-5 - Forage, Turf, Groundcover and Native Species Pedigreed Seed Crop Inspection Procedures
- SWI 142.1.2-6 - Soybean Seed Crop Inspection Procedures
- SWI 142.1.2-7 - Special Crops and New Crops Inspection
- SWI 142.1.1 – Pedigreed Seed Crop Inspection
- QSP 142.2 - Licensing of Authorized Seed Crop Inspection Services and Licensed Seed Crop Inspectors
- QSP 142.3 - CFIA Oversight of Authorized Seed Crop Inspection
- SWI 142.3.1 CFIA Oversight of Authorized Seed Crop Inspection
- QSP 142.4 - Official Crop Inspector Certification Procedures
- QSP 142.1 - Seed Crop Inspection
- SPRA 151 - Export Seed Certification
- QSP 152.1 - Implementation of the OECD Seed Schemes
- Authorized Exporter Industry Manual
- QSP 152.1 - Implementation of the OECD Seed Schemes
- SPRA 161 - Seed Import Program
- QSP 162.1 - Seed Import Procedures
- SWI 162.3.1 - Seed Import Monitoring
- QSP 162.1 - Seed Import Procedures
- SPRA 171 - Seed Testing
- Seed Laboratory Accreditation and Audit Procedures (SLAAP)
- Canadian Methods and Procedures for Testing Seed
- SPRA 231 - Requirements for the Formal Recognition of Conformity Verification Bodies Providing Services in Support of the Seed Certification, Phytosanitary Certification of Seed and Import Programs
4.3 Seed Industry References
- Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) - Rules for Testing Seed
- Canadian Seed Growers' Association (CSGA) – Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Pedigreed Seed Crop Production (Circular 6)
- CSGA Canadian Regulations and Procedures for Breeder Seed Crop Production
- CSGA Rogues and Roguing Manual for Pedigreed Seed Crops – PDF (2,542 kb)
- CSGA Pedigreed Seed Plot Production Quality Manual – PDF (298 kb)
- CSI-TECH 2.1 Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) Technical Manual for Approved Conditioners and Bulk Storage Facilities
- CSI-TECH 2.4 CSI Technical Manual for Authorized Importers
- International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) - International Rules for Seed Testing
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Seed Schemes - Schemes for the Varietal Certification of Seed Moving in International Trade
- OECD Seed Schemes, Guidelines for Control Plot Tests and Field Inspection of Seed Crops
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