At the OCIA/OGI Meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Farm Reporter Maci Carter had the chance to visit with the Executive Director of Oklahoma Crop Improvement, Robert Calhoun. Carter and Calhoun talk about seed transfer, the Oklahoma Crop Improvement Association, and more.
“A seed transfer is the movement of a certified seed class from a grower to an approved retail facility that can, in turn, resell that seed to an end-user, to one of our farmers,” Calhoun said.
Certified seed is a premium product of seed varieties that are protected through the Plant Protection Act. Because of this, Calhoun said these varieties must be handled in a certain way.
“When we move the seed, we need to make sure that it is going to someone that is an approved facility to handle that seed, and they know how to properly take care of it and reduce any type of chances for contamination,” Calhoun said. “One of the things they need to have is a transfer form. This is the official documentation that will follow the seed to the location so that the seed is documented and accounted for.”
To partake in this program, Calhoun said organizations must be members of the Oklahoma Crop Improvement Association.
“You become a member, your facilities are inspected, your equipment is inspected, and you have the understanding and the responsibility of properly maintaining the quality of the seed,” Calhoun said.
The seed must be Oklahoma-certified, Calhoun said, and must have documents.
“Different states have seed laws, so whatever we are going to sell, transfer in, and then resale must meet the Oklahoma state seed law standards,” Calhoun said. “That seed will need to be retested in Oklahoma and be issued an Oklahoma-certified tag for sales.”
Transferring seed out of the state begins with calling the OCI office, Calhoun said, and requesting transfer forms.
“We, in turn, reach out to our counterparts in the other state, make sure the seed is eligible for transportation and that it is going to a facility that is capable of handling that seed properly,” Calhoun said.
For more information, visit http://okcrop.okstate.edu/.
