Purpose:

     - To maintain and make available to the public high-quality seeds and propagating  materials of genetically distinct crop varieties.

Certification Involves:

    - Certified seed produced  by elite growers and seedsmen

    - Careful quality control system

    - Pedigreed planting stock

    - Field inspection(s) during the growing season

    - Seed inspection(s) following harvest

    - Ascertains varietal purity

History

   - Began in U.S. and Canada during the early 1900's

    - Lead to formation of crop improvement associations and  certification agencies 

    - Provided impetus for release of high quality public varieties

Present status

    - Each state has a certification agency

    - Administered by Dept. Agric. or Ext. Service in the U.S.

    - Administered by Canadian Seed Growers Assoc. in Canada

Association of Official Certifying Agencies (AOSCA)

    - Umbrella organization in U.S., Canada and several other countries

    - Functions:

      1. Establish minimum certification standards

      2. Standardize certification regulations and procedures

      3. Encourage cooperation between interested agencies

      4. Assist member agencies in promotion, production and distribution

Generation scheme

    - Breeder

      - Produced under the supervision of the plant breeder

      - Represents the true pedigree of the variety

    - Foundation

      - Produced by the seedstocks personnel of the parent organization

      - Has a white seed tag

    - Registered

      - Produced from Foundation seed and intended for production of Certified class seed

      - Has a purple seed tag

    - Certified

      - Produced from Registered or Foundation grade seed

      - Is considered as the commercial class

      - Has a blue seed tag

Canadian system

    -  Differs from the U.S. system as follows:

         1) Breeder seed is sold to seedsmen,

         2) Has a Select class between Breeder and Foundation classes

Requirements for Eligibility as a Variety

    Varietal Release

     - A standard procedure must be followed whether public or private

     Variety Description

    - The variety must be properly released, named and described

    - Varietal definitions are available to all interested organizations

    Varietal Review Boards

    - Consist of representatives from six interested agencies

    - Operate under AOSCA

    - Review required for certification eligibility

Certification procedures

  Planting stock

    - Must be from Registered, Foundation or Breeder seed

  Application

    - Must be submitted to appropriate agency accompanied by one or more seed tags

  Field Inspections   

    - Are conducted in the field when off-types and other crops can be identified

    - Timing of inspection(s) will depend upon the crop

  Harvesting

    - Special care must be given to maintain purity and high seed quality

  Conditioning

    - Purity must meet the standards for the seed class

    - Care must be taken to maintain seed quality

    - Crop kind and purity standards will determine the machine utilization

  Sampling

    - Samples should be taken on a regular interval and be representative of the lot

    - Samples may be taken during conditioning or in storage after conditioning

  Seed Inspection

    - Must be certified for purity, germination and weed seeds

    - Phytosanitary certificate may be required for interstate or international transport

    - Sampling may be conducted by seed regulatory agency

  Seed Tagging

    - May be a one-tag or two-tag system

    - A Bulk Certificate may be used for seed delivered in bulk condition

  Marketing 

    - May be done by the grower, a processor, seedhouse, etc.

Interagency Certification

    - Involves cooperation of two or more certification agencies

    - Required when seed is produced out of the agency's jurisdiction

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

    - A seed scheme for international marketing of certified seed

    - Members include European, Japanese and North American countries

    - U.S. Agric. Research Service is the official agency representing the U.S.A.

Recent additions to certification services

  Certification on Varietal Purity Only (CVPO)

    - Varietal purity is only criterion for certification

    - Does not apply in ND

  Certification of Blends

    - All components of the blend must represent certified seed

    - Proportions must be specified, predetermined and commercially acceptable

    - The consumer is not appraised of the composition of the blend

    - Does not apply in ND

  Sod Certification

    - Certification is usually for purity, composition and freedom from diseases and  insects

  Tree Seed Certification

    - Certification may apply to the seed purity and quality or origin of the seed

    - Origin of seed assures adaptability to environments

  Phytosanitary Certification

    - Certifies only that the field was free of specific diseases

    - Certification is normally conducted by state dept. agric. 

  Quality Assurance

    - Provides a uniform and unbiased quality control system for private companies

    - Typically involves field inspections to assure purity