Levy and Producer Registration
We fund various types of activities described in our regulations, the Forage Seed Development Commission Development Plan, by collecting a levy on all forage legumes (not including alfalfa), turf grasses, forage grasses, and amenity, restoration, and reclamation species.
The levy is 0.75% of the gross value of all forage seed marketed upon final settlement made to the producer, by a registered forage seed buyer.
Each producer will be registered with the Commission upon (i) deduction of the levy by a registered buyer, or, (ii) proof is provided to the Commission that the producer has sold forage seed within the last two year.
The registration will remain in effect until the producer ceases to pay the levy for two consecutive fiscal years under the Plan. The SFSDC fiscal year runs July 1st to June 30th.
Forage seed produced and marketed by plant breeding institutions are exempt from levy collection.
Levy Collection
The check-off or levy collection is collected in the same manner as all other producer check-offs, at first point of sale. All grades and crops listed are eligible to the check- off. Seed buyers, who are often the processors as well, are responsible to check-off the appropriate levy, and submit the funds to the Commission. Seed buyers of Saskatchewan produced seed have all the appropriate information with regards to registration and submission requirements. If producers market their own processed production to other producers, or market outside of Canada, it is their responsibility to submit the levy on their production.
The levy is 3/4 of 1 % of sale value ($0.75 per $100.00). This is a refundable check-off, so producers who feel there is no value in producer directed research can contact the SFSDC office to request a refund application.
Under the federal Agricultural Products Marketing Act, and the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Order SOR/2013-240, the Commission is authorized to collect levy collection on interprovincial forage seed deliveries.
Seed of forage crops have been harvested for a hundred years in Saskatchewan.
Forage seed production has evolved to be a core business for some producers and global seed companies. Some crops are destined entirely for export markets, while others remain in Saskatchewan to be planted by livestock producers and conservation agencies.