Sam Jones-Ellard (202) 660-2268Samuel.jones@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, May 18, 2012 --The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that Discount Seeds Inc., Watertown, S.D., has paid $2,025 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act.
This settlement resolves three cases that involved one shipment of oat seed to Missouri and two shipments of rye seed, one each to Kentucky and Texas. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:
-false labeling as to germination percentage;-false labeling as to the presence of noxious-weed seed; and-failure to keep, or supply receiving, conditioning, testing and labeling records.
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, Missouri and Texas. The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.
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