Items of Interest in Seed – Fall 2023 1 | Page

USDA Seed Regulatory and Testing Division

Fall 2023 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Recent and Upcoming Activities....................1

• State Seed Regulators Quarterly Meeting.......1

• Federal Seed Act Cases Settled ...................2

• SRTD Donates to Feds Feeds Families..........2

• Mucilage on Basil Seeds.............................2

• Calendar of Events ....................................3

RECENT AND UPCOMING ACTIVITIES 

SRTD’S VIST TO ARKANSAS ENHANCES 

COOPERATIVE SEED ACT AGREEMENTS 

On August 17, S&T Deputy Administrator Ruihong 

Guo and SRTD Director Ernest Allen met with the 

Deputy Secretary of the Arkansas Department of 

Agriculture, Cynthia Edwards, and Arkansas seed 

control officials to discuss the State’s Cooperative 

Agreement with AMS. The discussion involved 

seed testing, State and Federal seed regulatory 

processes, and the importance of uniform 

application of the Federal Seed Act throughout the 

United States. The meeting concluded with an 

agreement to work together to increase 

cooperative activities including FSA sampling 

throughout the State. 

SRTD PRESENTS TO SEED INNOVATION AND 

PROTECTION ALLIANCE 

On September 26, SRTD staff presented to the 

Seed Innovation and Protection Alliance on the 

Federal Seed Act labeling requirements.

Approximately 54 seed industry professionals 

from around the country attended the 

presentation. It focused on key considerations 

when labeling for seed sold to growers and 

dealers. After the presentation, SRTD answered 

several questions involving misconceptions 

around shipping seed in interstate commerce. 

SRTD PRESENTS AT AMERICAN SEED TRADE 

ASSOCIATION MEETING 

On October 31, Plant Physiologist Yujia Wu and 

SRTD Director Ernest Allen were invited to speak 

at the American Seed Trade Association’s 

Forage, Turf, and Conservation meeting in 

Kansas City, MO. They updated the grass seed 

industry on AMS enforcement activities and 

outreach related to the nationwide Kentucky 31 

Tall Fescue contamination issue that was first 

reported in 2017. In addition, they introduced a 

new method, developed by AMS, to distinguish 

Kentucky 31 from other varieties of Tall Fescue. 

Benefits of the method include reduced overall 

cost and faster results. The update was well 

received by the attendees. 

STATE SEED REGULATORS

QUARTERLY MEETING 

The Seed Regulatory and Testing Division (SRTD) 

conducts regional quarterly virtual meetings with 

State Seed Control Officials (SCO). The goal of 

the meetings is to promote better communication 

and working relationships with SCO’s and discuss 

current industry issues. Topics from the most 

recent meetings included: Winfred annual/winter 

rape seed labeling, labeling with two addresses, 

Kentucky 31 tall fescue update, confidentiality of 

AMS Numbers, staffing changes, and noxiousweed seed updates. 

Several members of SRTD are in attendance to 

provide their expertise to any questions from 

SCOs. These members include the SRTD Director, 

Laboratory Supervisor, OECD Seed Schemes 

Program Manager, and other key staff. In addition, 

each member of the Regulatory team is in 

attendance for every meeting.

ITEMS OF INTEREST IN SEED
Items of Interest in Seed – Fall 2023 2 | Page

For more information regarding this article, contact 

Seed Marketing Specialist Kevin Robinson (704)

810-7264; kevin.robinson2@usda.gov.

FEDERAL SEED ACT CASES 

SETTLED 

The Federal Seed Act (FSA) provides the 

authority for the regulation of the interstate 

shipments of agricultural and vegetable seeds. 

The FSA requires that seed shipped in interstate 

commerce are labeled with certain information 

necessary for the seed buyer to make an 

informed choice. The labeling information and 

any advertisements pertaining to the seed must 

be truthful. Between September 1, 2022, and 

August 31, 2023, a total of 17 seed companies 

paid $49,975 to settle alleged violations of the 

FSA. For specific information regarding these 

violations, please visit Federal Seed Act Cases 

Settled | Agricultural Marketing Service 

(usda.gov). 

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) 

administers the FSA by leveraging its resources 

with State departments of agriculture. These 

investigations were a result of joint efforts with 

seed regulatory officials in Arkansas, Florida, 

Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana

Tomatoes donated to the Feds Feeds Family 

Campaign, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, Utah, 

and Virginia. By working collaboratively with 

State partners, the Seed Regulatory and 

Testing Division helps promote uniformity 

among State seed laws and fair competition 

within the seed trade through the 

enforcement of the FSA.

For more information regarding this article, contact 

Seed Marketing Specialist Kevin Robinson (704)

810-7264; kevin.robinson2@usda.gov. 

SEED DIVISION DONATES 12,560 

POUNDS OF TOMATOES IN 

SUPPORT OF USDA’S FEDS FEED 

FAMILIES 

In cooperation with the Society of St. Andrew 

nonprofit organization, SRTD harvested over 

12,560 pounds of various types of tomato at North 

Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Piedmont 

Research Station. They were donated to several 

food banks in North Carolina including Loaves & 

Fishes and Smallwood PC pantry. These are 

nonprofit community service organizations that 

provide supplemental food assistance and other 

outreach activities for those in need. The 

tomatoes were donated as part of the USDA’s 

Feds Feed Families campaign, which strives to 

help our neighbors in need. 

The tomatoes were grown as part of the Trueness-to-Varity program which tests various types 

of agricultural and vegetable crops each year to 

verify that seeds being sold in the United States 

are accurately labeled. This practice helps to 

ensure that businesses, farmers, and home 

gardeners get the products that they expect in 

seed packets. 

Tomatoes donated to the Feds Feeds Family 

Campaign (Yujia Wu AMS SRTD 2023) 

For more information regarding this article, contact 

Plant Physiologist Dr. Yujia Wu (704) 810-7267; 

yujia.wu@usda.gov. 

MUCILAGE ON BASIL SEEDS 

Some species of basil (Ocimum spp.) can produce 

a layer of mucilage around the seed coat after 

hydration. Basil is an annual herb in the 

Lamiaceae family and native to tropical regions of 

Africa and Asia. 

Plant mucilage is produced by many different 

species in different plant tissues, such as the 

leaves of aloe vera. Seed mucilage is composed 

of pectins and hemicellulose found in the 

perisperm. It is thought to help the seed retain 

moisture for germination and help lubricate roots 

as they grow through soil. 
Items of Interest in Seed – Fall 2023 3 | Page

A study from Virginia Tech University tested if 

mucilage influenced germination rates on basil 

seeds. The experiment compared seeds that were 

left with mucilage and seeds where the mucilage 

was removed. In a laboratory setting, where 

seeds were planted on paper towels and placed in 

ideal temperature and humidity, the germination 

rates were the same. However, when grown in soil 

the germination rates were higher for seeds with 

the mucilage left intact. 

During seedling evaluations, basil seed mucilage 

can look like a decayed seed, but the mucilage 

should not be considered when determining if the 

seedling is normal or abnormal. 

Dry basil seeds. (Elizabeth Stewart AMS SRTD 2023) 

Basil seeds two minutes after watering. (Elizabeth 

Stewart AMS SRTD 2023)

Basil seeds four minutes after watering. (Elizabeth 

Stewart AMS SRTD 2023)

Reference: 

Zhou, D (2012) Seed Germination Performance 

and Mucilage Production of Sweet Basil. Master 

of Science in Horticulture, Virginia Polytechnic 

Institute and State University. 

For more information regarding this article, contact 

Botanist Elizabeth Stewart (704) 810-8873; 

elizabeth.stewart1@usda.gov.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

• American Seed Trade Association, Seed Expo 

Orlando FL; December 4 - 7, 2023

• Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies 

Destin Florida; June 14-19, 2024

• The Association of American Seed Control Official

Annual Meeting 

Utah; July 14-20

• Association of Official Seed Analysts/ Society of 

Commercial Seed Technologist Annual Meeting 

Rapid City SD; June 1-6 

 

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) identity (including 

gender expression civil rights regulations and policies, the 

USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions 

participating in or administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national 

origin, religion, sex, gender), sexual orientation, disability, 
Items of Interest in Seed – Fall 2023 4 | Page

age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived 

from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal 

or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply 

to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines 

vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 

communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large 

print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should 

contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center 

at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA 

through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 

Additionally, program information may be made available in 

languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the 

USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, 

found online at How to File a Program Discrimination 

Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed 

to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information 

requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint 

form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or 

letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; 

(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: 

program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and 

lender.