Canada's omnibus agriculture bill passes final reading and moves on to Senate for review

Thursday, November 27, 2014

by SUSAN MANN

Canada’s House of Commons passed legislation earlier this week aimed at modernizing the country’s agricultural industry and expanding markets.

The Agricultural Growth Act (bill C-18) passed third reading Monday and was forwarded to the Senate for its review. Ron Bonnett, Canadian Federation of Agriculture president, says he doesn’t know yet if the Senate will hold hearings on it.

Bonnett says once the Senate finally passes the Act they’ll be watching to ensure the regulations being developed reflect the intent of what’s in the Act.

In its press release, the federal government says the Act will update and modernize existing legislation “to respond to the latest technology and international practices.” Under the Act, there are changes to a number of acts the Canadian Food Inspection Agency uses to regulate the sector, including ones dealing with seeds, feed, plant protection, fertilizer, animal health and monetary penalties. There are also changes to legislation under Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada - the Marketing Programs Act and the Farm Debt Mediation Act.

One of the most controversial parts of the legislation has been the section on plant breeders’ rights. The government says the bill will “enshrine a farmer’s ability to save, store and clean their own seed of a protected variety” while at the same time enable Canada to adopt the 1991 International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, commonly called UPOV 91. Bonnett says they’re confident the legislation protects farmers’ rights to save and reuse seeds.

One of the really positive parts of the Act is the inclusion of streamlined application procedures under the Advance Payment Program, Bonnett says.

All of the major farm groups have supported the Act, he notes. BF