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Arkansas Seed Certification
Agency
and Foundation Seed Organization
The Arkansas Legislature
under Act 73 of Acts of 1931, designated the Arkansas State Plant
Board as the Official Seed Certification Agency.
The State Plant Board Directors are
empowered to develop the Official Standards for Seed Certification
in Arkansas. Seed Certification Section under the Seeds Division
of the State Plant Board carries out a program of pure seed production
by providing inspection and administrative services to farmers and
seedsmen in the production, conditioning, testing, and labeling
seed of known genetic purity, physical composition and germination
potential. This section supervises and participates in the inspection
of crops, gins, conditioning equipment and storage facilities to
insure against contamination of certified seeds. All lots of seed
for Certification are sampled and tested by the State Plant Board,
and appropriate tags are issued on lots meeting the high standards.
See Outline
of Steps to Follow in Certifying Seed.
The Agricultural Experiment Station
of the University of Arkansas functions as a Foundation Seed Organization
in releasing varieties eligible for Certification.
The Arkansas Seed Council is an advisory
group whose function is to assist in the allocation of Foundation
seed produced by University of Arkansas Experiment Stations. The
Director of the U of A Agricultural Experiment Station serves as
Chairman and the Extension Agronomist serves as Secretary. The remaining
Members of the Council are two Seed Dealers, two Seed Growers and
two Members of The State Plant Board (not staff), making a total
of eight voting members. The Rice, Soybean and Wheat Promotion Boards
each have one non-voting representative to give the Seed Council
11 members. The Seed Council approves requests for Foundation seed
based on the applicants experience, equipment and known ability
as a Seed Producer. The aim is to get maximum production from Foundation
seed of proven varieties and to make seed available to all Growers
as quickly as possible. It is felt that Foundation seed should be
placed in the Growers hands who are most assured of maximum production
and who are most likely to maintain the seed within the Certification
Program.
All Applicants for Seed Certification
must have a current Seed
Certification Permit or an Arkansas
Seed Dealer’s License. The Seed Certification permit
allows the applicant to sell his own production of bagged &
tagged certified seed or Bulk
Transfers
of that seed to another certified grower/dealer. An Arkansas
Seed Dealer’s License allows the applicant to sell seed either
as certified or as non-certified (where applicable) as long as all
regulations are followed.
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