Why Go Certified?

Soybean Crop

Seeds carry many beneficial agronomic traits, such as resistance to insects, disease and herbicides. New, improved traits are being introduced at an increasing rate. With producers demanding higher field performance, seed have become a main focal point in a production cycle.

Certified seed are seed of a known variety produced under strict seed certification standards to maintain varietal purity. Seed lots must also meet specified standards for germination, as well as limited content of inert matter, seed from other crops, and weed seeds. Certified seed must also be completely free of seed from prohibited noxious weeds. In addition, all certified seed must pass field inspection, be conditioned by an approved seed conditioning plant, and then be sampled and pass laboratory testing.

Research by Kansas State University shows certified wheat seed pays for itself at a mere 1 bushel-per-acre yield advantage and a market price of $3.50 per bushel. According to research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, certified seed typically out yields bin-run varieties by 1.2 to 2.5 bushels per acre. With market prices for wheat above $7 per bushel, a yield advantage of even a bushel or two makes a substantial economic impact.

Seed that carry the certified tag often cost more than other seed, but you get what you pay for. The certified tag assures that the seed meet the standards and requirements of the official seed-certifying agency in the state where it is grown. All official seed-certifying agencies belong to the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA), which establishes minimum standards for each crop. The individual certifying agency may set higher standards than AOSCA, but never lower.

The Certified Blue Tag label means you are getting Clean Seed, Varietal Purity, Quality Assurance, Traceability, and State Seed Lab Testing.

Now that's a lot from a Certified Blue Tag!