Behind the Blue Tag
Choose Quality from the Start
How does Canada remain a world leader in high-quality seed and innovative new varieties? It all starts with Certified seed, the foundation of Canada’s seed sector and a key component of our thriving grains and oilseeds sector. But have you ever wondered about how Certified seed is produced?
The Canadian seed certification process is rigorous and designed to deliver specific plant breeding innovation from the plant breeder to the farmer and the food industry. In other words, it is true-to-type. This means all the benefits developed by the plant breeder are retained as the seed is multiplied over a number of specific number of generations (to the Certified seed stage) from the small amount of seed developed by the plant breeder.
How is Certified Seed Produced?
Certified seed is the product of a production process designed to deliver specific plant breeding achievements to farmers and the food industry. In other words, it is true-to-type. True-to-type means all the benefits developed by the plant breeder are retained as the seed is multiplied over a number of specific number of generations (to the Certified seed stage) from the small amount of seed developed by the plant breeder.
1.Variety Development
2. Parent Seed Multiplication
3. Field Selection
4. Planting Equipment Sanitation
5. Isolation
6. Roguing
7. Field Inspection
8. Certification
9. Harvesting Equipment Sanitation
10. Harvesting
11. Separate Seed Storage
12. Testing and Grading
13. Bagging and Tagging
14. Commercial Farmer
15. Food Processor
The Blue Certified Seed Tag means that the seed was grown under the rigorous testing and quality assurance programs of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The seed passed inspection by a CFIA-licensed inspector in the field and again in a CFIA-accredited seed laboratory and cleaning establishment to ensure it meets CSGA and CFIA requirements, germination standards, mechanical impurities (like weeds and other crops) and, most importantly, varietal identity and purity.
Every step of the Certified seed production process is rigorously monitored to ensure top-quality results.
This means that Canada’s Blue Certified Seed Tag provides quality assurance, identity assurance, traceability, and innovation – the Certified Seed Advantage.
When you buy Certified seed, you can be confident you’re getting what you paid for – pure, clean seed with verified identity and a high germination rate. You don’t get the same assurances with common seed or bin-run seed. Those are produced without official third-party inspection or government oversight to confirm purity, identity, and quality.