WASHINGTON, August 3, 2012 --The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that ProSeeds Marketing Inc., Jefferson, Ore., has paid $2,250 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act.
This settlement resolves three cases that involved one orchardgrass and one tall fescue shipment to Missouri, and one shipment of grass seed mixture to Kentucky. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:
- false labeling as to germination percentage;-false labeling as to germination test date; -false labeling as to pure seed and other crop percentages;-false labeling as to the variety name; and-failure to keep or supply complete records of the seed.
The company settled the cases in agreement with AMS officials. The company neither admitted nor denied the charges brought against them.
AMS administers the Federal Seed Act with the assistance of state seed officials. The investigations were completed through the joint efforts of AMS and seed regulatory officials in Kentucky and Missouri. The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.
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