CFA submitted a follow‑up letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri‑Food regarding proposed amendments to the Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR) Regulations, reinforcing its earlier submission from October 2025.
Key points highlighted by CFA:
- CFA supports the proposed amendments, which aim to strengthen Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights framework and encourage long‑term investment in plant breeding innovation.
- The organization recognized that stronger and more predictable PBR protections can help improve access to new crop varieties, enhance competitiveness, and bolster the resilience of Canada’s farm sector.
- Alignment with international standards, including those of UPOV (International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants), was identified as an added benefit.
CFA’s core position and recommendations:
- Farmers’ privilege must remain broadly accessible, allowing producers to save and reuse seed on‑farm.
- Any future narrowing of farmers’ privilege should only occur with clear producer support and meaningful consultation.
- CFA believes the current amendments strike a reasonable balance between the interests of producers and plant breeders.
- The federation encouraged government to advance the amendments, as written, to Canada Gazette, Part II, stressing that regulatory certainty will benefit farmers and the broader sector.