Nadine Wilkins (202)720-8998Nadine.wilkins@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that Wild West Seed Inc., a seed company operating out of Albany, Ore., has paid $2,450 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act. The company settled the case in agreement with AMS officials. The company neither admitted nor denied the charges brought against them.
This settlement resolves four cases that involved multiple shipments–one shipment of collard seed to Wisconsin and three shipments of collard seed to North Carolina. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:
-false labeling as to variety name;-failure to test for germination, prior to interstate shipment; and-failure to keep, or supply records of the seed as required by the act.
AMS administers the Federal Seed Act with the assistance of state seed officials. The investigation was completed through joint efforts by AMS and seed regulatory officials in Wisconsin. The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.
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