Seed Today - Q3 2008 - (Page 71)

OECD Seed Schemes,” Day reported. USDA Involvement The AMS serves as the Designated Authority for implementing the OECD Seed Schemes Program in the United States. The program’s day-to-day operations were consolidated about four years ago and are now handled by AMS’s Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch in Gastonia, NC. This branch also directs AMS’s Process Verified Programs for field inspection, sampling and labeling, and testing. “U.S. seed companies are eager to qualify because participation in the OECD Seed Schemes offers them in- creased market opportunities and exposure—which leads to more customers and bigger profits,” Day says. OECD Seed Scheme certification is carried out in the United States by 24 state seed certifying AOSCA member agencies. These state entities must demonstrate high levels of expertise in OECD Seed Scheme certification requirements for crops produced in their areas. In addition to OECD testing, these state seed certifying agencies handle field inspections and samplings. “We are all aware that in the 21st century the growth of a nation’s agricultural economy depends more and more on increasing its exports. “That’s why our cooperative efforts to ensure efficiency and fair practices in the international marketplace are becoming more important year after year,” Lloyd Day told the assembled OECD Seed Schemes representatives. Joe W. Funk, editor OECD Seed Schemes The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Seed Schemes are rules used by 57 participating countries to certify and label seed for varietal purity. The OECD certification provides for official recognition of “quality-guaranteed” seed, thus facilitating international trade and contributing to the removal of technical trade barriers. Seed intended for international movement to or from countries requiring OECD certification must be certified to have met certain standards throughout the cropping, seed processing and labeling operations. Only central governments are members of OECD. In the United States, varietal certification for the OECD Seed Schemes is carried out by AOSCA seed certifying agencies under cooperative agreements with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. U.S. seed certification agencies wishing to certify seed under OECD programs must be recognized by the USDA-AMS and sign a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The list of varieties eligible for OECD Certification includes about 42,000 varieties from 194 species. The OECD is headquartered in Paris, France. Response No. 711 Third Quarter 2008 71 http://www.grainwayllc.com http://www.grainwayllc.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Seed Today - Q3 2008

Seed Today - Q3 2008 Contents Editor’s Notes Cover Feature Fred Miller, Ph.D., MMR Genetics Crosbyton Seed Company AOSCA Greg Lowry Floyd Hansmeirer AOSA/SCST According to ASTA Seedsellers, Inc. BinMaster Blake Sieker Ad Index

Seed Today - Q3 2008

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