The CCIA Board of Directors must approve varieties for certification in California. One or more of the following favorable actions can admit a variety to the Board for approval:
- AOSCA Variety Review Board recommendation
- Plant Variety Protection office or Breeder Rights statements with additional items A through I (as needed)*
- Varieties eligible for certification under the OECD Seed Scheme
- AOSCA Member Agency approval
- Certification Technical Committee recommendation.
The Certification Technical Committee (CTC) is an advisory committee charged with reviewing eligibility of varieties for certification, changing or developing new field and seed certification standards, and managing technical matters pertaining to seed certification. This committee will review varieties for distinctiveness and genetic stability according to the guidelines established by the AOSCA. The Certification Technical Committee shall be composed of representatives from the University of California, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Executive Director and/or his or her designee(s).
The CTC only reviews varieties of those crops where there does not exist an AOSCA Variety Review Board. For varieties of alfalfa, grass species, small grain, corn, soybean and sunflower, find the appropriate review board on the AOSCA website: http://www.aosca.org/. The CTC will review all varieties intended for certification that are released by the University of California, as the CTC is a part of the university’s variety release process.
* Issuance of a PVP certificate cannot be the only factor for determining eligibility of the variety for certification. Submission of the additional eligibility requirements unique to certification (especially items E-J) through the Certification Technical Committee will be necessary.
The CTC meetings are usually in the first week of January, April, and August (approximately one month prior to the winter, spring, and fall CCIA Board of Directors meetings). “Applications for Variety Certification” for new varieties to be reviewed by CTC are due 2 weeks before the CTC meetings. Please check the CCIA Events page for exact meeting dates.