Canadian Standards Development

Canadian Standards Development through ASABE

ASABE is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to develop National Standards of Canada in the areas of agricultural and biological engineering. Through the Canadian Agricultural Standards Steering Organization (CASSO), ASABE facilitates the development, adoption and maintenance of Canadian standards that support industry, government and stakeholders across Canada.

Key Resources

• Get involved
  Participate in committee work and standards development
• Standards for Public Review
  View standards open for public review. 
• Submit a Project Proposal Form
  Download a project proposal form to propose a new standard or revise an existing standard
• View the current work plan
  View the list of active and planned CASSO projects
• Recognized Standards
  Explore CASSO recognized standards relevant to Canadian agricultural systems 
• Standardization Procedures
  Access the procedures that guide Canadian standards development, including requirements aligned with SCC
• ASABE Standards Department Structure 
  Learn how ASABE supports standards development

About CASSO

CASSO provides oversight and strategic direction for Canadian standards development within ASABE. The committee ensures that standards activities align with SCC requirements and reflect Canadian priorities.

ASABE assumed responsibility for this work following the transition from the Agricultural Machinery Technical Committee (AMTC), continuing the development of Canadian standards within an internationally recognized framework.

Standards Developed

CASSO oversees multiple types of standards. Each serves a different purpose within the Canadian standards system:

• National Standards of Canada - Standards developed and approved in accordance with SCC requirements for national adoption.
• Bi-National Standards - Standards developed jointly between Canada and the United States to support harmonization across both countries.
• Recognized Standards - Existing standards reviewed and accepted for use in Canada without full national adoption.

CASSO/SNSAC Partners

CASSO/SNSAC collaborates with the following organizations to advance Canadian agricultural standards:

• Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada (AMC)
• Canadian Agricultural Safety Association / Association canadienne de sécurité agricole (CASA/ACSA)
• Canadian Society for Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering / La Société Canadienne de Génie Agroalimentaire et de Bioingénierie (CSABE|SCGAB)
• Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI)

History of Canadian Farm Machinery Standards

Canadian farm machinery standards have a long-standing history of development through the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). For over 35 years, CSA hosted the Agricultural Machinery Technical Committee (AMTC), which included representatives from farmers, manufacturers, regulators, and trade associations.

In Fall 2020, CSA disbanded the AMTC. To continue Canadian standards development, ASABE launched the Canadian Agricultural Systems Standards Oversight (CASSO) / Surveillance des normes des systèmes agricoles canadiens (SNSAC) in December 2020.