Government and Industry to Develop National Farm-Level Biosecurity Standard for the Grains and Oilseeds Sector

OTTAWA, August 11, 2011: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has established a Grains and Oilseeds Sector Biosecurity Advisory Group to guide the development of a voluntary National Farm-Level Biosecurity Standard for the Grains and Oilseeds Sector.

A national voluntary standard will provide a common approach for controlling major plant pests and diseases in this sector. Such threats include bacteria, fungi, insects and weeds. The Standard will complement existing farm-level biosecurity programs. It will take approximately two years to develop.

The term "farm-level biosecurity" means using a series of management practices to minimize, prevent or control the introduction, spread and release of pests and diseases at the production area or farm level.

The Standard will be a tool to do the following:

• provide a consistent approach across the country for mitigating the risks for transmitting diseases and pests,
• improve industry's knowledge of the risks associated with pests and diseases,
• help identify potential gaps in current control measures being implemented, and
• identify methods to improve biosecurity practices.

The crop types considered for this Standard are those defined under the Canada Grain Act. They include official and unofficial grains, such as

• cereals: barley, oats, rye, triticale, wheat
• oilseeds: canola, flaxseed, mustard, rapeseed, safflower seed, solin, soybeans, sunflower seed
• pulses: beans, chickpeas, faba beans, lentils, peas
• mixed grains: mixture of wheat, rye, barley, oats, triticale, wild oats and domestic or wild oat groats
• other crops: buckwheat, corn
• unofficial grains in Canada: canary seed, kamut, spelt, quinoa

Canadian producers have a long-standing and successful practice of implementing proactive biosecurity activities on Canadian farms. A national standard will build on this knowledge and help share best practices across the country to strengthen the industry as a whole. Producers will be consulted as part of this Standard's development.

The CFIA established the Grains and Oilseeds Sector Biosecurity Advisory Group in collaboration with the following:

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
• Canada Grains Council
• Canadian Grain Commission
• grains and oilseeds industry organizations
• provincial departments of agriculture

Group members will be encouraged to communicate information to all interested stakeholders and to seek their input.

Funding to develop the Standard has been provided under the Growing Forward Agricultural Policy Framework.

Additional information:

• Grains and Field Crops (CFIA)
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Growing Forward Agricultural Policy Framework
• Canada Grains Act (Department of Justice)
• Canada Grains Council
• Canadian Grain Commission