2015 AOSCA Annual Meeting
Proposed Standards Changes
Council
Corn –
 Standards change: border row calculation. (Judd?) –
# 15_AM_CS-SC_01
Smalls Grains –
 Standards change – samples shall be assessed for contrasting market classes –
(Moore, Robinson, Schuler) # 15_AM_SG-SC_01
TSPVG –
 Standards change, PVG – labeling and standards (Young) –
# 15_AM_TSP-SC_01

Hemp Standards proposal
Document1
Page 1 of 8
15_AM_CS-SC_01
Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies
Proposed Changes to Standards/Guidelines
Date Submitted April 1, 2015
Change to AOSCA:
Crop Kind:
Standards
Corn
Proposal Sponsor
Proposal Origination:
X
Guidelines
AOSCA Commodity Committee
Corn
Corn Committee, Northern Region
AOSCA
X
Region
X
Agency
Other
Location in the AOSCA Standards/Guidelines (give specific citation):
CORN (ZEA MAYS) CERTIFICATION STANDARDS
III Field Standards
A. General
1. Isolation
b. Hybrid Corn
Text of the original and amended portion of the Standards/Guidelines:
Current wording:
1) A specific hybrid to be accepted for certification must be so located that the seed
parent is not less than 660 feet from other corn. However, in the case of the same
color and endosperm type or white endosperm corn - optically sorted, the distance
may be further modified by the planting of the pollen parent border rows, the number
of which is to be determined by the acreage of the specific cross in accordance with
the following tables, other exceptions are listed in parts (2) and (3). The pollen
parent border rows must be shedding pollen effectively and simultaneously with silk
emergence in the seed parent to be used to modify isolation distance.
Proposed wording:
1) A specific hybrid to be accepted for certification must be so located that the
seed parent is not less than 660 feet from other corn. However, in the case of the
same color and endosperm type or white endosperm corn - optically sorted, the
distance may be further modified reduced by the planting of the pollen parent
border rows, the number of which is to be determined by the acreage of the
specific cross in accordance with the following tables, other exceptions are listed
in parts (2) and (3). The pollen parent border rows must be shedding pollen
effectively and simultaneously with silk emergence in the seed parent to be used
to modify isolation distance. Where pollen parent border rows are ineffective or
missing, effectively shedding pollen parent rows within the field may be used in
accordance with the table to determine the isolation distance correction in the
seed parent.
Document1
Page 2 of 8
15_AM_CS-SC_01
Brief summary about the background, purpose, and intent of this change:
At the Corn Committee meeting of the 2014 Annual Meeting, a standards change
proposal was brought forward regarding border row calculation. There was
consensus that states should be uniform in the application of isolation standards. A
sub-committee was formed to study the issue and brought this standards change to
the 2015 Northern Region Meeting.
Narrative addressing seed industry impact/support/concern/other:
This proposed change to the corn standards simply clarifies what most seed corn
producers are doing now, and with the approval of seed certifying agencies.
Negative feedback is not expected.
Summary of discussion(s) held by AOSCA and Seed Certifying Agencies:
Discussed and approved at the 2015 Northern Region Meeting. The proposal will be
brought to the 2015 Western and Southern Region Meetings for further discussion.
Timeline and plan for the proposal:
Any action taken by the three regions will be forwarded to the Standards Council and
Advisory Committee at the 2015 AOSCA Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British
Columbia.
Final disposition:
Document1
Page 3 of 8
15_AM_SG-SC_01
Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies
Proposed Changes to Standards/Guidelines
Date Submitted
Change to AOSCA:
Crop Kind:
Standards
Small Grains – wheat
Proposal Sponsor
Proposal Origination:
X
Guidelines
AOSCA Commodity Committee
Small Grains
Jerry Robinson, Rick Novak, Mike Moore
AOSCA
Region
Agency
X
Other
Location in the AOSCA Standards/Guidelines (give specific citation):
Small Grain Standards, Section IV. Seed Standards table, Other varieties
(maximum)
Wheat, Barley, Rye, Triticale, Buckwheat, Oats
Text of the original and amended portion of the Standards/Guidelines:
This proposal would add three (3) asterisks to the location identified above, with
wording associated with those asterisks to be placed appropriately below the table. It
would also require editing the number of asterisks for “Other Kinds” and “Diseases”
for proper document flow.
Proposed amended wording in the Small Grain Seed Standards Table:
Other varieties (maximum) ***
Proposed amended wording in the footnotes to the Small Grain Seed Standards
Table:
***All seed samples shall be assessed for contrasting market classes.
Brief summary about the background, purpose, and intent of this change:
While it is common for seed analysts to pick seed samples for red wheat in white
wheat samples due to end-use issues, not all analysts pick wheat seed samples for
any/all contrasting market classes. Small grain seed movement across state lines is
very common, and current inconsistency in how seed is tested is creating problems
as Registered seed moves to a different state from that of the Foundation seed. The
purpose of this proposal is two-fold. First, discussion on this topic will provide a good
exchange of ideas and practices between agencies. Second, this is an Other Variety
standard, and thus required of all agencies (as opposed to mechanical standards,
which are not), so placing the recommended language will make a change that will
provide needed consistency in this area.
Document1
Page 4 of 8
15_AM_SG-SC_01
Narrative addressing seed industry impact/support/concern/other:
It is predictable that more seed lots will not meet standards at the onset of all
samples being assessed for contrasting market classes initially, but that should be
off-set by fewer “surprises” in Registered and Certified seed stocks that have all
been tested the same way.
Summary of discussion(s) held by AOSCA and Seed Certifying Agencies:
This topic was discussed at the 2014 Western AOSCA meeting, but the actual
proposal did not come from that group. Discussions developing this proposal have
been distributed to select individuals in and outside of the Western Region.
Timeline and plan for the proposal:
The preferred timeline would be for consideration by the 2015 Annual Meeting Small
Grains Committee, followed by Council adoption at the same meeting.
Final disposition:
Document1
Page 5 of 8
15_AM_TSP-SC_01
Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies
Proposed Changes to Standards/Guidelines
Date Submitted 5/8/15
Change to AOSCA:
Standards
Crop Kind: PVG, Varieties
Proposal Sponsor
Proposal Origination:
X
Guidelines
AOSCA Commodity Committee
Tree, Shrub,& PVG
Stan Young (UT), Mike Moore (WY), Barry Schrumpf (OR)
AOSCA
Region
X
Agency
Other
Location in the AOSCA Standards/Guidelines (give specific citation):
a) AOSCA Crop Certification Standards; PVG Standards, P. 76, I.B.6.d. (add
parenthetical phrase)
b) AOSCA Genetic and Crop Standards; Nomenclature and Labeling for Plant
Germplasm Types, Footnotes, p. 16, 6.B.1)-5). (Add item 6 to footnote 6.B.)
c) AOSCA Crop Certification Standards; PVG Standards, p. 75, I.B.1.b. (Add
second sentence to first paragraph).
Text of the original and amended portion of the Standards/Guidelines:
Proposed additions underlined.
a) Selected or Tested Germplasms may not be labeled as Source Identified
Germplasm (see p. 16, Nomenclature and Labeling for Plant Germplasm
Types, Footnote 6.A.B.6).
b) 6) A germplasm must be labeled as the germplasm type currently specified by
the originator/developer and accepted by a SCA (see footnote 6.B.5 above),
with existing stands evaluated as to eligibility for generations or variety
classes as appropriate to the specified germplasm type. If a stand has
become naturalized, (see p. 76, PVG Standards, I.B.1.b.), the material may
subsequently be tagged as Source Identified Germplasm, but must not be
labeled with any germplasm ID and/or variety name as previously labeled for
the particular species.
c) These standards address seeds and seedlings, and other propagating
materials of native and naturalized species that have not been released as a
variety. Naturalized stands include those for which non-indigenous plant
material has adapted through environmental selection to the site; i.e., for
perennial species at least two generations in reproductive mode are present,
and for annual species at least two non-cultivated generations have
reproduced on the site. Germplasm types are recognized as follows:
Document1
Page 6 of 8
15_AM_TSP-SC_01
Brief summary about the background, purpose, and intent of this change:
This amended standard provides direction for labeling a germplasm that is moving
through the progression of germplasm types as more data is gathered regarding that
germplasm and it qualifies for more advanced germplasm types (Source identified to
Selected to Tested to Variety). In conjunction, naturalized germplasm is defined in
order to clarify AOSCA tagging protocols for such plant material.
Narrative addressing seed industry impact/support/concern/other:
These amendments clarify the germplasm originator/developer’s prerogative
regarding data development and progression of germplasm types, and orderly
tagging of a germplasm as it is produced and marketed by the seed industry and
requested by germplasm type by revegetation seed users. Memos of support from
key plant germplasm originators/developers and seed producers and seed users will
be presented.
Summary of discussion(s) held by AOSCA and Seed Certifying Agencies:
These proposed amendments and additions reflect discussions at the 2015 AOSCA
Western Regional meeting in Spokane, WA, and follow-up discussions with key
plant germplasm originators/developers and seed producers.
Timeline and plan for the proposal:
To be considered as an agenda item for the Tree, Shrub, and PVG Committee at the
annual meeting in Vancouver, BC. To be hopefully presented to the AOSCA CRSC
(Council) and approved by members.
Final disposition:
Document1
Page 7 of 8
Hemp Standards (to be posted)
Document1
Page 8 of 8