OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/08/13 -- The Government of Canada is committed to protecting Canada's plant resource base from pests and diseases.

That is why the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is seeking comments on proposed amendments to the Seeds Regulations, which will be published in Canada Gazette, Part 1, on March 9, 2013.

Through extensive industry consultation, the Agency is proposing to streamline registration requirements for oilseed soybean and forage varieties.

The proposed amendments will lower costs and time delays and allow for faster commercialization of new varieties for farmers by removing the pre-registration testing and merit assessment requirements. These changes would reduce the monetary and regulatory burden on industry and small businesses and encourage investments in the development of new varieties.

The proposed amendments would also remove the option to suspend the registration of a variety. Registrations that have been previously suspended would now be cancelled and may be reinstated by the Registrar when the reason(s) for the cancellation expire.

The proposed changes do not affect food safety or plant protection.

The proposed amendments demonstrate the CFIA's commitment to address specific needs of different crop sectors by adapting to changes that have taken place in the seed industry.

The comment period will run until May 23, 2013. For additional information on the proposed amendments, visit: http://www.canadagazette.gc.ca.