Handling Bulk Certified Seed

All rules for production, conditioning, and testing of certified seed in bulk shall apply except that seed does not have to be in bags. For labeling purposes, a bulk certified seed certificate replaces the certified seed tag. The complete seed analysis will be printed on the certificate.

The applicant or grower and the approved conditioner are responsible for maintaining genetic purity and identity during conditioning and handling. Evidence that any lot of seed has not been protected from contamination that might affect genetic purity or is not properly identified shall be cause for rejection of certification.

All field and seed standards applying to bagged seed shall also apply to bulk certified seed.

Certified seed may be sold in bulk by an approved retail facility or by the applicant producer. A maximum of two physical transfers are permitted after final certification has been completed:

• from the applicant labeler to an approved retailer or consumer
• from an approved retailer to consumer

The Foundation and Registered classes may be sold in bulk. To be eligible for recertification, bulk Foundation or Registered seed must be sold by the applicant producer or by an approved conditioner directly to the consumer. Approved bulk retailers are authorized to handle Certified class seed only. They may be allowed to handle bulk Registered seed on a case-by-case basis as authorized by the State Seed Department.

Bulk retail seed facilities must be approved annually before certified seed can be handled in bulk. Such facilities may be part of a seed conditioning plant or may be approved only for handling bulk certified seed. Before approval, all procedures for receiving, storing, dispensing, and recordkeeping must be inspected by the department. The applicant must demonstrate acceptable procedures for maintaining purity and identity of bulk certified seed.

For all bulk certified seed

• A separate storage bin must be available for each lot that will be sold in bulk.
• All bins, augers, conveyors, and other equipment must be cleaned before storage or handling certified seed.
• All hopper bins must be equipped with bottom access ports, inside ladders, or some other means approved by the Seed Department to facilitate access for cleaning.
• All augers used to convey seed must be reversible.
• All bins must be clearly and prominently marked to show crop, variety, seed class, and lot number.
• All bin openings must be closed to prevent contamination, except when seed is being put in or removed from the bin.

• Handle seed in a manner to prevent mixtures and contamination.
• Supply seed that is representative of the seed tested and approved for certification.
• Ensure all bins, augers, conveyors, and other equipment are adequately cleaned before handling certified seed.
• Ensure all bin openings are closed to prevent contamination, except when seed is being put in or removed from the bin.
• Determine that the vehicle receiving bulk certified seed has been cleaned prior to receiving the seed. If it is not clean, this is to be noted on the bill of sale or transfer certificate.
• Provide to the purchaser a bulk certificate for each load of bulk certified seed at the time of delivery.
• Ensure the conditioned lot shall not be moved from the premises of the approved conditioning plant or labeler’s facility until the sample has been tested by the State Seed Department laboratory and shows that the lot is eligible for certification.
• Maintain possession of a two-pound sample identified by variety, kind, and lot number of each lot of certified seed, whether bagged or in bulk, sold for a period of two years after the final disposition of the seed lot.

The Following Records Must be Maintained

• Amount of seed grown and conditioned or purchased for bulk sale
• Amount of bulk certified seed sold by variety and lot number
• Current inventory of seed available for sale for each variety

• Obtain a bulk certificate from the seller for each load of bulk certified seed at the time of delivery.
• Provide a clean vehicle or container in which to load seed.
• Maintain purity of the seed after it has been loaded into the buyer’s vehicle.

• Carryover certified seed must be retested for germination before new bulk certificates will be issued to ensure seed meets state or federal laws for test dates. Carryover bulk seed cannot be re-certified in bags unless new samples are submitted for analysis.
• Carryover seed, whether previously certified or unconditioned, must be reported to the Seed Department by September 1 in order to be listed in the Seed Directory, which is an important marketing tool provided at no cost to producers.