Seed Certification Standards in California GRAIN Barley, Oat, Rye, Triticale, and Wheat GENERAL STANDARDS -- The standards on this sheet are in part condensed and apply to grain. For greater detail and additional provisions, see the General Standards. PLANTING STOCK -- In most varieties Breeder seed must be planted to produce Foundation seed. Foundation seed must be planted to produce Registered seed. Registered seed must be planted to produce Certified seed. In varieties where there is no Registered class, Foundation seed must be planted to produce Certified seed. APPLICATION -- Application forms are available at the county Farm Advisor's office or from CCIA. Applications should be filled out and submitted to the Farm Advisor's office or directly to the CCIA office as soon as possible after planting and no later than eight (8) weeks after planting. FIELD ELIGIBILITY -- The land must not have grown the same crop during either of the two (2) previous years unless the grain was of the same variety planted for certification and met field inspection requirements for varietal purity; only one (1) year is required if the intervening crop was irrigated. ˆˆ TOP OF PAGE ˆˆ ISOLATION -- Barley, Oat, Triticale and Wheat
Fields need not be isolated from other grain but must have a definite boundary such as a fence, ditch, roadway, levee, or barren strip at least ten (10) feet wide. Rye
A field producing any class of certified seed must be isolated by at least 660 feet from fields of any other variety or fields of the same variety that do not meet the varietal purity requirements of the class of seed inspected and are of the same chromosome number. FIELD INSPECTION -- Each field intended for certification must be inspected prior to harvest. At least one inspection shall be made usually about the time the grain is maturing and, in some cases, earlier and later inspections may be made. Off-types -- Every field should be rogued to remove any plants of another crop or variety. Varieties cannot always be differentiated at field inspection. When differences can be distinguished, the maximum mixture of other grain crops permitted is as follows: ˆˆ TOP OF PAGE ˆˆ Foundation | Registered | Certified | 1:10,000 | 1:10,000 | 1:5,000 | Diseases -- Barley stripe may not exceed five (5) plants per acre. Smut of any type is limited to five (5) plants per acre in Foundation and Registered fields, and thirty two (32) plants per acre in Certified fields. Seed treatment may be required in some cases. Weeds -- Fields must be free of any prohibited noxious weeds. Restricted noxious weeds, and common weeds difficult to separate must be controlled. Fields may be refused certification due to unsatisfactory appearance caused by weeds, poor growth, poor stand, disease, insect damage, and any other condition which prevents accurate inspection or creates doubt as to identity of the variety. A field inspection report will be sent to the applicant. If the field is approved, a certification number will be assigned. This number must be on all containers of seed before they leave the field. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure his field has been inspected before it is harvested. ˆˆ TOP OF PAGE ˆˆ HARVESTING -- Harvesting is subject to the supervision of the County Agricultural Commissioner who must be contacted prior to harvest. Any seed moved out of the county for conditioning must be accompanied by an Intercounty Permit or Interstate Transfer issued by the Commissione. CONDITIONING AND SAMPLING -- Conditioning of seed for certification may be done only in facilities approved for this purpose by the California Crop Improvement Association. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine if the plant is eligible before delivering seed for conditioning. Conditioning, sampling, reconditioning, and blending must be supervised by the County Agricultural Commissioner. Conditioning equipment must be free from contaminating seed to the satisfaction of the supervising inspector. SEED INSPECTION - All seed must be sampled and tested after conditioning and the seed lot must meet or exceed seed certification standards for that crop. A seed lab using the Association of Official Seed Analyst “Rules for Testing” must test the sample. A Registered Seed Technologist must sign each lab analysis. In addition to AOSA rules, specific seed testing may be required to meet CCIA seed certification standards. The sample size for a lot of certified Grain is one (1) pound. In some instances, varietal identity cannot be determined by visual seed inspections. Seed must be well screened and graded, bright in color, of good appearance and meet the following standards: ˆˆ TOP OF PAGE ˆˆ Pure Seed | 99.00% (Minimum) | Inert Matter | 1.00% (Maximum) | Bushel Weight | Barley | 45 pounds (Minimum) | Oat | 32 pounds (Minimum) | Rye, Triticale, Wheat | 56 pounds (Minimum) | Other Crop Seed and Other Varieties | Barley, Rye, Triticale, Wheat | All classes | 1 seed per pound (Maximum) | Oat | Foundation | 1 seed per pound (Maximum) | Registered, Certified | 2 seeds per pound (Maximum) | Weed Seed | 0.10% (Maximum) | Noxious Weed Seed | None | Wild Oat | Barley, Rye, Triticale, Wheat | None | Oat | 1 seed per pound (Maximum) | Germination | Barley, Oat, Rye, Triticale | 90.00% (Minimum) | Wheat | 85.00% (Minimum) | FINAL CERTIFICATION AND TAGGING -- If the seed sample meets all standards a seed inspection report is issued. Before certification is complete, however, each container must have an official tag or label attached. Certified seed may be sold to a grower in bulk without tagging if a properly filled out Bulk Sale Certificate accompanies the shipment. The tags and Bulk Sale Certificates are issued by the California Crop Improvement Association to the County Agricultural Commissioner who supervises their atachment. grain Sept 2003 ˆˆ TOP OF PAGE ˆˆ | 