Seed Certification is the process required to produce high quality pedigreed seed and is open to all who wish to participate. Certified seed is a limited generation seed production system. Foundation seed produces Registered seed, Registered seed produces Certified seed and Certified seed produces grain.

There are several basic requirements to become a certified seed producer.

1. Start clean. All planting & harvesting equipment and storage facilities must be clean to prevent contamination from other crops, varieties or weed seeds.

2. Plant eligible seed and retain proof of eligibility. Foundation or Registered seed must be planted for the crop to be eligible for certification. If you are going to produce Registered seed you will need to purchase Foundation seed. If you are going to produce Certified seed you will need to purchase Registered seed.

3. Eligible Ground. The seed you plant needs to be planted on eligible (clean) ground, i.e. ground that has not produced a like crop in the past year unless it was planted to a class of certified seed in the past year. For example if you are going to produce Certified Duster you will need to purchase Registered Duster and plant it on ground that was not in wheat the previous year. This insures that there will be no contamination by other varieties of wheat.

4. Field Inspection. Contact OCIA office for information about "myFields", an online application program for field inspection and submit by the appropriate deadline.  This will start the process to complete seed certification.  You will need to upload a seed tag or other documentation with the application.  This creates a documentation trail so that the seed source can be identified.

5. Prepare your field for inspection by OCIA. This involves roguing any contaminants such as rye or off-type plants and controlling any noxious weeds such as field bindweed. Isolation also needs to be determined at this time. In wheat there needs to be 10 feet between a certified seed field and other wheat.

6. Field inspections. The inspector will contact you prior to harvest to make you aware that he will be in the area and confirm that your field is ready for inspection. After inspection is completed you will receive a copy of the field inspection report.

7. Seed conditioning. The primary purpose for seed conditioning is to remove all impurities (broken seed, chaff, weed seed, etc.) from your seed. Conditioning must be done by an OCIA approved conditioner listed in the directory or with your own seed cleaning equipment.

8. Laboratory analysis. After cleaning has been completed a sample of seed must be submitted for testing. This will provide you with all the necessary information for the label requirements and ensure that the seed meets OCIA standards. Sample bags are provided by the OCIA office.

9. Official tags/labels. Once the seed has passed both field and laboratory inspections, tags or labels can be ordered from the OCIA office. Both bagged and bulk seed sales require official OCIA tags to be legally sold. It is also a requirement of the State Seed Law that all seed sold be labeled properly.

Specific crop standards and other information are available from the OCIA office or at http://okcrop.okstate.edu

Before the seed is sold you will need to purchase a seed dealers’ license from Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. Contact the ODA office for further instructions and information.

Oklahoma Dept. of Agriculture, Food & Forestry
Plant Industry & Consumer Services
2800 N. Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73105      (405) 522-5885

If you are interested in becoming a certified seed grower please contact the OCIA office:

Oklahoma Crop Improvement Association
2902 West 6th Ave
Stillwater, OK 74074-1555        (405) 744-7108