Levy Information
The Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission uses levy revenue to support activities authorized under the Forage Seed Development Plan Regulations, including producer-directed research, industry development and market development.
The levy applies to all eligible grades of forage seed and potential seed mixtures, Saskatchewan-grown:
forage grasses;
forage legumes, excluding alfalfa seed; and
species used for turf, amenity, reclamation or regeneration purposes, including commercial varieties of native forage grasses and legumes.
Levy Collection
The check-off or levy is normally deducted at the first point of sale, in the same manner as other Saskatchewan producer check-offs.
Registered seed buyers, processors and assemblers are responsible for deducting the levy from payments made to producers and remitting the funds to the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission.
The levy applies to all eligible grades of Saskatchewan-grown forage seed and all potential mixtures.
The levy is 0.75% of the value of the forage seed, based on outright, initial and final payments made to the producer. This is equivalent to $0.75 for every $100 of seed value.
When a producer sells seed directly to another producer, markets seed outside Saskatchewan or Canada, or sells to a buyer that does not deduct the levy, the producer is responsible for remitting the levy to the Commission.
The levy is a refundable producer check-off. Producers may contact the SFSDC office to request a refund application or obtain information about the applicable submission deadlines.
Under the federal Agricultural Products Marketing Act and the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Order, SOR/2013-240, the Commission’s authority extends to the marketing of Saskatchewan forage seed in interprovincial and export trade, including the authority to fix, impose and collect levies.
Forage Seed Crops subject to the SFSDC Levy
With the exception of alfalfa seed, all major and minor forage grass and forage legume species are subject to the SFSDC levy. The list includes all crop kinds used for forage, turf seed, or reclamation purposes, and is subject to change as production practices and market opportunities change.
The levy applies to the forage seed species included under the current Forage Seed Species Inclusion Board Order. The list may be amended as Saskatchewan production, seed uses and market opportunities evolve.
All grades of eligible forage seed crops and seed mixtures are subject to levy collection. The exemption for qualifying Breeder seed is described separately under the Exemptions Board Order. All grades including Foundation 1 & 2, Registered 1 & Certified 1 & 2, Common 1 & 2, Reject and no grade, and shall also include seed purchased as a seed mixture.
Forage Seed Species Included: wheatgrasses, wildrye grasses, annual and perennial ryegrass, bromegrasses, timothy, fescues, reed canarygrass, bluegrasses, clovers, vetches, birdsfoot trefoil, sainfoin and native grasses such as redtop, Western, Northern and tall wheatgrass.
Forage Seed Species Inclusion Board Order No. 18/25
Exemptions Following Board Order No. 21/25, forage seed that is produced and marketed by a plant-breeding institution and sealed and graded as Breeder Seed, is exempt from the levy.
