Bill C-18 Archive

Bill C-18, “The Agricultural Growth Act,” became law on February 25, 2015 and gives multi-national agri-business much more money, power and control, while increasing farmers’ costs and reducing farmers’ autonomy and Canadian sovereignty.

The campaign against Bill C-18 ended in 2015 – the information used in the campaign is being kept on this site as a resource for members and the public.

Bill C-18, the “Agricultural Growth Act” omnibus bill, amending several federal agricultural laws, was introduced in Parliament on December 9, 2013. The Bill, which became law on February 25, 2015, gives multi-national agri-business much more money, power and control while increasing farmers’ costs and reducing farmers’ autonomy and Canadian sovereignty. The NFU presented before the House of Commons Agriculture Committee on October 9, 2014 (read the official transcript) and also submitted a brief. The NFU also presented before the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee on February 3, 2015 (read the official transcript and brief).

The following information about Bill C-18 and its implications, as well as about the NFU’s proposed Farmers Seed Act was prepared as a Toolkit to help organize opposition to the Bill.

Read the NFU’s Backgrounder: “Bill C-18: A Corporate Agri-business Promotion Act”

Discover the NFU’s Alternative: The Fundamental Principles of a Farmers Seed Act

Learn the whole story about “Bill C-18 and ‘Farmers Privilege‘”

Clarify your understanding of key issues related to C-18 by reading “Questions and Answers about Bill C-18.”

View the NFU’s Presentation: “A Seed Act for Farmers, Not Corporations – Stop Bill C-18”

Watch the NFU’s February 13, 2014 Webinar presented in collaboration with Food Secure Canada.

Use the NFU guide to Organize a Public Meeting on Bill C-18 in your community.

Read “The Price of Patented Seed – The Value of Farm Saved Seed”

Learn how to hold a Meeting with your MP: “Meet your MP”

Read the Commentary – Bill C-18, the Agricultural Growth Act — Growth for whom?

Read the Commentary – Say NO to UPOV ’91!

Find out why CETA + Bill C-18 = too much power for seed companies.

Read the NFU’s analysis of Partners in Innovation – What is behind the Partners in Innovation PR campaign?

Learn how Bill C-18 threatens pollinators – Bill C-18 would expand the neonicotinoid market

Get postcards printed to send to your Member of Parliament.

Read the Solidarity Letter from international supporters.

Mettre fin au projet de loi C-18!

Video Series

These videos were created by NFU Youth in 2014 as part of our campaign against UPOV 91.  Special thanks to video producers Dean Harder and Terran Giacomini as well as the many transcribers, interviewees, and NFU staff who have helped along the way.

Save Our Seeds – Part 1: What is UPOV ’91?

This is the 1st in a series of videos on Bill C-18 — the omnibus agriculture bill that seeks to align Canada’s seed laws with the international UPOV ’91 system. This video highlights the key mechanisms in UPOV ’91 that increase the rights of large corporate plant breeders including Monsanto, and severely restrict farmers’ age-old right to save and reuse seeds. UPOV: International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants or UPOV (French: Union internationale pour la protection des obtentions végétales) is an intergovernmental organization with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Save Our Seeds – Part 2: Royalties & Cascading Rights

This is the second in a series of videos on Bill C-18 — the omnibus agriculture bill that seeks to align Canada’s seed laws with the international UPOV ’91 system. This video explains how UPOV ’91 transfers ever more wealth produced by farmers to the shareholders of the multinational conglomerates that hold Plant Breeders’ Rights in Canada.

Save Our Seeds – Part 3: Innovation Manipulation

This is the 3rd part in a series of videos on Bill C-18 — the omnibus agriculture bill that seeks to align Canada’s seed laws with the international UPOV ’91 system. The federal government claims we need UPOV ’91 to promote innovation. However, if passed, Bill C-18 will transfer more power and control over seeds to multi-national agribusiness firms including Monsanto, while increasing farmers’ costs and reducing farmers’ autonomy and Canadian sovereignty.