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T-4- 124 – Export certificates under the Fertilizers Act

The 3 year regulatory transition period (October 26, 2020 to October 26, 2023) has now ended. As a result, regulated parties, including all manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers of fertilizers and supplements must adhere to the amended Fertilizers Regulations. There are few notable exceptions for some product categories. Learn more about the implementation of the amended Fertilizers Regulations.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this document is to outline the information requirements for obtaining an export certificate for fertilizers and supplements intended for export and labelled accordingly and describe the process for reviewing applications.

2. Scope

Export certificates certify that the product met the Canadian regulatory requirements with respect to product safety and identity, but does not confirm compliance with the labelling requirements prescribed in the Fertilizers Act and regulations as labelling requirements may vary significantly between countries. Export certificates are issued to facilitate the export of products from Canada, but are not a mandatory requirement for export. This service is provided on request in order to support foreign market access for Canadian fertilizers and supplements. The authority to issue export certificates is provided by the Fertilizers Act and the Fertilizers Regulations.

Possession of an export certificate does not exempt a product from marketplace monitoring if the product is sold in Canada. When found in the marketplace, Non-compliant products may be subject to enforcement action including product detention and, in cases of repeated or severe contraventions, prosecution. Furthermore, a contravention of the Fertilizers Act and regulations invalidates the export certificate.

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer/distributor/retailer to ensure that the product continues to meet the requirements of the Fertilizers Act and regulations and associated policies as they may change over time. Failure to do so may render an export certificate invalid. Furthermore, the export certificate issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) does not exempt the product from the applicable provincial and/or municipal regulations and requirements if and when the product is sold in Canada.

The review of the information provided in support of an export certificate does not involve consideration of the requirements (regulatory or otherwise) of the importing country. It is the responsibility of the exporter to ensure that requirements of the destination country are complied with prior to exportation.

3. Eligibility

Products eligible for export certification include:

4. Conditions and limitations

5. Information requirements

In order to receive an export certificate, the application must demonstrate that the product met the Canadian requirements with respect to the safety and identity of the product when it is used according to directions. As such, only the portions of the label that impact the safe and sustainable use of the product (for example directions for use, precautionary statements and/or instructions for use of personal protective equipment) are considered as part of the evaluation. The following information is required to enable the review in support of issuing an export certificate:

Please note that submission of results of analysis at certain intervals during the period when the certificate is valid may be required.

6. Review process and service delivery standards

Please direct all applications for export certificates to:

Pre-market Application Submissions Office
E-mail: cfia.paso-bpdpm.acia@inspection.gc.ca
Phone: 1-855-212-7695

A submission control number will be assigned to the file and an acknowledgement email will be sent to the applicant within 5 working days of the receipt. Applicants are strongly encouraged to ensure that their applications are complete and well organized – it is recommended to follow the same format as for the registration applications described in the Guide to Submitting Applications for Registration Under the Fertilizers Act.

Furthermore, if deficiencies or data gaps are identified – it is important that the applicant(s) respond quickly and comprehensively – otherwise the file will be closed and returned to the applicant (on request). There are currently no service delivery standards associated with the review of applications for export certificates. Nevertheless, the CFIA appreciates the importance of timely review and issuance of the certificates.

The timelines will also depend on the extent of the review that is required; for example products that are currently registered for sale in Canada will not require a substantive review as the safety and identity information would have already been evaluated during registration.

7. Fees

There are currently no fees in the CFIA User Fees Notice applicable to this service and so the service will be provided free of charge. However, the CFIA is in the process of reviewing its fee structure for all commodities and services and it is anticipated that issuing export certificates for fertilizers and supplements will be subject to cost recovery in the future.

8. Contact information

Fertilizer Safety Section
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Phone: 1-855-212-7695
Email: cfia.paso-bpdpm.acia@inspection.gc.ca

Appendix 1

Primary Fertilizer Materials
Term Metals Dioxins and furans Indicator organisms
Acidulated bone Check
Ammoniated superphosphate Check
Ammonium nitrate or AN Check
Ammonium phosphate sulphate or APS Check
Ammonium polyphosphate Check
Ammonium sulphate or AS Check
Ammonium sulphate-nitrate Check
Ammonium thiosulphate Check
Anhydrous ammonia Check
Aqua ammonia or ammonia liquor Check
Basic slag Check Check
Blood and Bone meal Check Check
Blood meal Check Check
Bone meal Check Check
Calcined phosphate Check
Calcium ammonium nitrate decahydrate or calcium ammonium nitrate double salt Check
Calcium ammonium nitrate or CAN Check
Calcium ammonium trinitrate Check
Calcium and magnesium nitrate Check
Calcium carbonate Check
Calcium chloride Check
Calcium nitrate or nitrate of lime Check
Calcium sulphate Check
Calcium thiosulfate Check
Diammonium phosphate or DAP Check
Dicalcium phosphate Check
Dimethylenetriurea or DMTU Check
Dipotassium phosphate Check
Elemental sulphur Check
Enriched superphosphate Check
Feather meal Check Check
Fish emulsion Check Check
Fish meal Check Check
Garbage tankage, Residential tankage or Biogenic waste Check Check
High-analysis superphosphate or anydrous superphosphate Check
Hoof and horn meal Check Check
Isobutylidene diurea or I.B.D.U. Check
Kainit Check
Magnesium ammonium nitrate Check
Magnesium ammonium sulphonitrate Check
Magnesium chloride Check
Magnesium nitrate Check
Magnesium sulphate Check
Manure or composted manure Check Check
Methylene urea Check
Methylenediurea or MDU Check
Monoammonium phosphate or MAP Check
Monopotassium phosphate Check
Municipal biosolids Check Check Check
Muriate of potassium or potassium chloride Check
Nitrate of potash or potassium nitrate Check
Nitrogen solutions (non-pressurized) Check
Nitrogen solutions (pressurized) Check
Orthophosphoric acid Check
Potash manure salts or mine run potash salts Check
Potassium hydroxide Check
Potassium polyphosphate Check
Potassium thiosulfate Check
Precipitated phosphate Check
Rock phosphate Check
Seed meal Check Check
Single superphosphate, ordinary superphosphate, normal superphosphate or super 20 Check
Sodium and potassium nitrate or nitrate of soda and potash Check
Sodium nitrate or nitrate of soda Check
Struvite or magnesium ammonium phosphate Check
Sulphate of potash or potassium sulphate Check
Sulphate of potash-magnesia; potassium-magnesium sulphate; double-sulphate of potash and magnesia; double sulphate of potassium and magnesium; or langbeinite Check
Sulphur coated urea or SCU Check
Superphosphoric acid or SPA Check
Tankage or animal tankage Check Check
Triazone Check
Triple superphosphate or triple Check
Tripotassium phosphate Check
Urea Check
Urea phosphate or carbamide phosphoric acid Check
Urea-ammonium nitrate or UAN Check
Urea-ammonium sulphate Check
Urea-formaldehyde or urea-form Check
Urea-triazone solution Check
scope="col"
Primary Supplement Materials
Term Metals Dioxins and furans Indicator organisms
Ash Check
Air-slaked lime Check
Aluminum sulphate Check
Basalt Check
Biochar Check Check
Calcitic limestone or calcite Check
Coir or coconut coir Check Check
Compost Check Check
Dolomitic limestone or dolomite Check
Fulvic acid Check
Gypsum or landplaster Check
Humic acid Check
Humic substances Check
Humus Check Check
Magnesium hydroxide Check
Magnesium oxide Check
Peat, peat moss, or sphagnum moss Check Check
Perlite Check
Pozzolan or diatomaceous earth Check
Quicklime, burnt lime, or caustic limeCheck
Slaked lime Check
Spent mushroom media Check Check
Tree bark Check
Vermiculite Check
Zeolite Check
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