IJUSiuvSd
News
industry and
Seed
government
regulations
BYDONWERTMAN
Pa. Seedsmen’s Assn.
This is the age of
regulation. Although we
know the situation has
worsened during the last
decade due to an increase in
the number and scope of
regulatory agencies, the
seed industry has been under
federal regulation since 1939.
The Federal Seed Act of
1939 is a truth in labeling law
which is managed by the
Seed Division of the
tencan Marketing Ser
a of the U.S.
Department of-Agnculture.
rhe Act is concerned with
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seed moving in inter-state
commerce. The only way a
violation is cited is when the
individual state regulatory
official submits a complaint
to the Federal Agency.
This procedure leaves the
individual states with the
authority to handle its own
problems and when possible,
work .out solutions with
neighboring states without
federal intervention. If only
this were the case with other
federal agencies.
Many of the rules and
definitions cited in the
Federal Standards have
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been adopted by the in
dividual states, thereby
creating uniformity among
agencies. The Regulations
are lengthy, technical, and
rigid. We will highlight
several which are of par
ticular interest to producers
of agronomic crops in
Pennsylvania.
The current Seed Act in
Pennsylvania dates back to
1965. Several of the key
points are; the list of
restricted or prohibited
weed seeds, labeling
requirements, certification
requirements, and the
prohibitions placed on the
marketing of illegal seed.
Restricted or prohibited
weeds are those which are
determined to be highly
destructive or difficult to
control within this state by
normal cultural practices.
In the case of restricted
weeds only so many per
pound are permissible in
legal seed and when present
must be listed on the label.
Examples are Buckhorn m
red clover or Bedstraw m
timothy. Prohibited weeds
mclude species such as
quackgrass or Canadian
thistle. No seed can be sold
which contains these weeds.
Each state has its own list
of restricted or prohibited
weeds. Differing climatic
conditions or cultural
practices determine whether
a weed will cause a problem
in that state.
It is in all cases the
seedsmen’s responsibility
under the law.
Again, requirements vary
by state but most agree that
the following information be
provided: a purity analysis
which lists the pure seed
content, weed seeds, other
crop seeds and inert matter.
These are stated on the
analysis tag by percentage
of weight. For example, an
analysis tag stating .05
percent weed seeds means
that there is one half pound
of weed seeds in 1000 lbs. of
seed.
Or 0.45 per cent inert
matter means there is 4.5
pounds of dirt or inert
matter in 1000 pounds of
seed.
Again, seed laws deter
mine how much other
material is permitted in a
given lot of seed before it is
no longer legal for sale.
Stated another way, most
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seed must have a minimum
purity to be legal for sale.
The mmimums differ
drastically for different
seeds.
Certified seed gram must
be 99 percent pure whereas
grasses such as brome or
bluegrass are perfect!*
acceptable with a purity of
85 percent.
Other required in
formation on the label in
cludes the accepted name of
the seed, lot number, the
state or country of origin, the
net weight of the container,
the treatment if any, and the
germination.
The two most important
items here are the treatment
and Some seed
is treated while other isn’t
and the user should be aware
of what the seed treatment is
mtended to protect.
In most cases, treatment
performs two functions: it
protects the seed while
stored in the bag; and/or it
protects the seed from
deterioration when first
planted. Both aspects are
good but limited.
Growers should jmow if
the treatment is an in
secticide or fungicide, or
perhaps only mnoculation in
the case of legumes. The
label won’t give all this in
formation, but it will state
the properly accepted name
for the treatment and will
be flagged by the accepted
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terminology of “Warning”
or “Caution” depending on
the type of chemical.
In any case, treated seed
must be handled with
caution and protected from
children and livestock.
Germination is another
important item on the label.
The law specifies how low
the germination may be of
certified seed, while in the
case of non-certified it is
required that the ger
mination be stated along
with the date of test. The
consumer must then decide
if the germination meets his
criterion.
For most seeds the ger
mination test date must be
current within nine months,
while five months is
maximum for interstate
shipments. Again seed
variety determines
minimum acceptable ger
mination. Most seed grains
should germinate 90 percent
while varieties such as
crownvetch are acceptable
at germination levels such
as 65 percent.
One confusing aspect of
germination information has
been the term “Hard Seed.”
Hard seed is part of the total
germination for legumes. It
is a desirable characteristic
in most cases.
Hard seed is viable seed
which needs more time to
germinate than other viable
seeds in the lot. The hard
seed coat of legumes reduces
the intake of water
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necessary for germination.
The aging process breaks
down that coat as do en
vironmental conditions such
as freezing and thawing.
Generally speaking, the
higher the hard seed count
the newer the seed. Hard
seed is desirable in that it is
strong and healthy and will
germinate when conditions
are right.
Newly-harvested alfalfa
will have a hard seed per
centage as high as 30 per
cent. This is a good in
dication of a healthy seed lot.
It’s nature’s way of holding
back germination until
another day when conditions
are right.
It is, in fact, a built-in
mechanism to insure
preservation of the species.
Many farmers look for low
“hard seed” count. Don’t be
among them. Consider
yourself lucky if hard seed
count is high.
Although there is much
more to be said about
labeling, we will leave it to
the seedsmen. It is well to
know that there are
guidelines, minimum
requirements, and
restrictions in the marketing
of seed which are in force for
the farmers’ protection.
Take a look at the tags on
your seed purchases this
spring and know that much
goes on behind the scenes m
the preparation and use of
that label.
council
farmer-dealers throughout
the 39 states in which they do
business.
Vigortone - a company
which manufacturers
livestock pre-mixes, named
the men to the council as a
grass-roots committee to
offer suggestions regarding
company policy relating to
the business phase of the
dealer’s activity.
The council held it’s first
meeting recently with
company officials and
executives at Cedar Rapids,
lowa--the company’s
national headquarters.
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