The Federal Seed Act (FSA) regulates the interstate shipment of agricultural and vegetable seeds. The FSA requires that seed shipped in interstate commerce be labeled with certain information necessary for the seed buyer to make an informed choice. The labeling information and any advertisements pertaining to the seed must be truthful. The FSA helps promote uniformity among the state seed laws and fair competition within the seed trade.
The following cases were settled administratively under the FSA between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023. Under the administrative settlement procedure, the Seed Regulatory and Testing Division and the firms agreed to settle the cases, for the amount specified, with the firms neither admitting nor denying the charges.
Allied Seed, LLC, Nampa, Idaho, has paid $6,800 for a case involving seven seed shipments.
There was one seed shipment from Oregon to Virginia. There were two seed shipments from Oregon to Kentucky. There were two seed shipments from Idaho to Utah. In addition, there were two more seed shipments from Idaho to Alabama in which were subsequently reshipped to Indiana and Kentucky. Seed regulatory officials in Indiana, Kentucky, Utah, and Virginia cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of pure seed;
- False labeling of germination percentage, and
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence.
Andrews Farm and Seed, Inc., Carthage, Missouri, has paid $6,575 for a case involving seven seed shipments. There were three seed shipments from Missouri to Tennessee in which was subsequently reshipped to Kentucky. There four seed shipments from Missouri to Texas. Seed regulatory officials in Kentucky and Texas cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of pure seed and inert matter;
- False labeling of germination percentage;
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence;
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds in excess of State limit, and
- Failure to label the interstate shippers name and address or code designation.
Beachner Seed Company, LLC, St. Paul, Kansas, has paid $2,275 for a case involving three seed shipments. There was one seed shipment each to Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri. Seed regulatory officials in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling as to variety names;
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence, and
- Failure to label the interstate shippers name and address or code designation.
BWI Companies, Inc., Nash, Texas, has paid $3,725 for a case involving three seed shipments. There was one seed shipment from Missouri to Louisiana. There were also two seed shipments from Texas to Kentucky. Seed regulatory officials in Louisiana and Kentucky cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- Failure to keep or supply records;
- False labeling as to incorrect labeling;
- False labeling of germination percentage, and
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence.
Caudill Seed, Louisville, Kentucky, has paid $700 for a case involving one seed shipment from Missouri to Maryland which was then shipped to New York which and subsequently reshipped to Virginia. Seed regulatory officials in Virginia cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violation was:
- False labeling of pure seed and other crop seed.
Farmers Ag Center, Mountain Grove, Missouri, has paid $1,300 for a case involving one seed shipment to Kentucky. Seed regulatory officials in Kentucky cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of pure seed and
- False labeling of germination percentage.
GreenPoint Ag Holdings, LLC, Decatur, Alabama, has paid $500 for a case involving one seed shipment to Kentucky. Seed regulatory officials in Kentucky cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violation was:
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence.
Kelly Seed Company, Inc., Hartford, Alabama, has paid $9,675 for a case involving six seed shipments. There were three seed shipments to Florida, one seed shipment to Georgia, and two seed shipments to Texas. Seed regulatory officials in Florida, Georgia, and Texas cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of germination percentage;
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds in excess of State limit, and
- False labeling of pure seed, inert matter, other crop seed, weed seed.
Millborn Seeds, Inc., Brookings, South Dakota, has paid $2,700 for a case involving two seed shipments to Indiana. Seed regulatory officials in Indiana cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling as to incorrect labeling, and
- False labeling of germination percentages and test date.
Mountain View Seeds, Salem, Oregon, has paid $2,625 for a case involving three seed shipments to Michigan. Seed regulatory officials in Michigan cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of germination test date, and
- False labeling of pure seed, other crop seed, and coating material.
Ricetec, Inc., Alvin, Texas, has paid $450 for case involving one seed shipment to Louisiana. Seed regulatory officials in Louisiana cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violation was:
- False labeling of germination percentage.
River Valley Seed and Feed, Inc., Russellville, Arkansas, has paid $1,250 for a case involving one seed shipment to Louisiana. Seed regulatory officials in Louisiana cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violations were:
- Failure to keep or supply records;
- False labeling as to variety name;
- False labeling as to incorrect labeling, and
- False labeling of germination percentage.
Saddle Butte Ag., Inc., Shedd, Oregon, has paid $1,000 for a case involving one seed shipment to Indiana. Seed regulatory officials in Indiana cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of germination percentage, and
- False labeling of pure seed and inert matter.
Smith Seed Services, Halsey, Oregon, has paid $3,575 for a case involving three seed shipments.
There was one seed shipment to Texas, one seed shipment to Virginia, and one seed shipment to North Carolina in which was subsequently reshipped to Virginia. Seed regulatory officials in Texas and Virginia cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling as to kind name;
- False labeling as to variety name;
- False labeling of pure seed percentages and weed seed, and
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds in excess of State limit.
TNT Seed, LLC, Hennessey, Oklahoma, has paid $4,050 for a case involving seven seed shipments. There was one seed shipment to Alabama in which was subsequently reshipped to Florida and there were six seed shipments to Texas. Seed regulatory officials in Florida and Texas cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- Failure to keep or supply records;
- False labeling as to incorrect labeling;
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence, and
- False labeling of pure seed percentages and other crop seed.
Turner Seed, Inc., Antioch, Tennessee, has paid $2,275 for a case involving two seed shipments. There was one seed shipment each to Kentucky and Virginia. Seed regulatory officials in Kentucky and Virginia cooperated in the initial sampling and inspections. The alleged violations were:
- False labeling of germination percentages and test date, and
- False labeling of noxious-weed seeds rate of occurrence.
Winfield Solutions, LLC, St. Paul, Minnesota, has paid $500 for a case involving one seed shipment to Missouri. Seed regulatory officials in Missouri cooperated in the initial sampling and inspection. The alleged violation was:
- False labeling of germination percentage.