DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

(1) Seed certification application due dates are:

(a) For seed certified by the department: Alfalfa, clover, grasses and rapeseed (seedling applications) - Within sixty days of planting. Seedling applications will not be accepted if received more than one hundred five days after planting.

(b) Hybrid canola or hybrid rapeseed - Fall plantings February 1st; Spring plantings - Twenty-one days after planting.

(c) Sunflower twenty-one days after planting.

(d) Notification of a seedling field to be harvested for certification the same year of planting is due July 31st with the required fees.

(i) Bean - July 1st.

(ii) Corn - June 1st.

(iii) Industrial hemp - Twenty-one days after planting.

(2) For seed certified by the Washington state crop improvement association (WSCIA) seed certification application due dates are:

(a) ((Field pea, chickpea, lentil, millet, and)) Fall planted small grains (((both winter and spring varieties) - June)), peas and lentils - April 1st.

(b) Spring planted small grains, peas, lentils, and millet – June 1st.

(e) Buckwheat and soybean - July 1st.

(((c))) (f) Sorghum - July 15th.

(((d))) (g) Forest tree seed certification - Refer to specific crop requirements in chapter 16-319 WAC.

(3) An application for seed certification must be submitted to the certifying agency each year a grower plans to produce seed for certification of annual crops (beans, peas, grain).

(4) A renewal application for seed certification must be submitted to the certifying agency after a stand is established each year that a grower plans to produce seed for certification of perennial crops (alfalfa, clover, grass). Due dates for renewal applications are as follows:

(a) Alfalfa and clover - June 15th.

(b) Grass - May 1st.

(5) Applications received after the due date are assessed a late application fee.

(6) No renewal application for seed certification may be accepted after the due date if a field inspection cannot be conducted prior to harvest except at the discretion of the certifying agency.

(1) Field inspection timing for buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum, small grain seed entered in the certification program are:

(a) For field pea and lentil - When seed crop is in full bloom;

(b) For chickpea (garbanzo bean) - When seed crop is mature enough to differentiate leaf type (compound or simple leaf type) ((and in)), with a second inspection occurring between full bloom and late pod stage for registered and foundation class. Certified class requires a second inspection at late pod stage if ascochyta blight is observed during the first inspection;

(c) For soybean - When seed crop is in full bloom ((and/or)) and of mature color;

(d) For open pollinated sorghum - When seed crop is in full bloom, and optionally again when seed crop begins to show mature color;

(e) For hybrid sorghum - Two inspections during bloom and one inspection after seed begins to show mature color;

(f) For small grains - When seed crop is fully headed and of mature color;

(g) For millet - One inspection during bloom and one inspection after seed begins to show mature color; and

(h) For buckwheat - One inspection when seed crop is in full bloom.

(2) Any condition or practice which permits or causes contamination of the seed crop, such as failure to prevent seed formation of prohibited noxious weeds, or excess weeds including excessive objectionable or restricted noxious weeds, or mechanical field mixing, is cause for rejection upon inspection. Fields rejected for jointed goatgrass or jointed goatgrass hybrids are not eligible for reinspection and must remain ineligible for any production of certified classes of small grain seed until a reclamation procedure, as specified in subsection (3) of this section has been completed. Fields rejected for other causes will remain eligible for reinspection.

(3) The jointed goatgrass reclamation procedure includes the following:

(a) Each grower must develop a reclamation plan for his/her affected fields. The plan must be based on the most current recommendations of Pacific Northwest scientists and Washington State University cooperative extension as well as good management practices. The plan may include use of certified seed, spring cropping practices, and late tilling and planting. No particular program is specified or endorsed and compliance with a program does not assure eligibility for the production of certified classes of small grain seed. Eligibility is based solely upon results of field inspections as provided in (b) through (e) of this subsection.

(b) The rehabilitation and inspection program duration is three years for irrigated land and five years for dryland without production of certified small grain seed and the first year of certified seed production thereafter.

(c) Annual inspections of the affected fields are conducted by the certifying agency during the prescribed rehabilitation period at such time that the jointed goatgrass or jointed goatgrass hybrids would be most visible.

(d) Following the prescribed period of rehabilitation and during the first certified seed production year, a minimum of three field inspections are conducted by the certifying agency.

(e) If jointed goatgrass or jointed goatgrass hybrids are found during any inspection as provided in (c) and (d) of this subsection, the rehabilitation program is determined unsuccessful or the field is declared ineligible and the rehabilitation and inspection program for that field must begin again at year one of the procedure.

(4) Field run lots of seed of the same variety may be commingled to facilitate storage and conditioning.

(5) No prohibited noxious weed seeds are permitted upon inspection for seed standards.

(6) Germination minimum refers to germination when sampled.

(7) If chemically controllable seed-borne diseases are noted upon inspection for field standards and seed standards for small grains, treatment of seed is required.

(8) Wild oat, isolated patches and borders must be removed or clearly marked so as to avoid harvesting with the rest of the field. If rejected, a reinspection is necessary to assure clean-up efforts are satisfactory. Spot checks are conducted on fields where heavy patches or contaminated borders were noted. Harvesting these areas with the rest of the field is cause for rejection of the entire field.

(9) The official laboratory providing seed analysis for the purpose of certification is the department.

(10) For all fields planted with varieties that contain the CLEARFIELD trait as defined in the variety description, documentation will be required to be submitted with the certification application verifying that the production field meets all production guidelines and was sprayed with the appropriate herbicide. CLEARFIELD is a trait that makes a plant resistant to the Imazamox herbicide.

(1) The land, isolation, and field standards for field pea seed certification are:

(2) Seed certification standards for field pea are:

(1) Land, isolation, and field standards for lentil seed certification are:

(2) Seed certification standards for lentil are:

(1) Land, isolation, and field standards for chickpea seed certification are:

(1) Seed certification fees for buckwheat, chickpea, field pea, lentil, millet, soybean, sorghum and small grains are as follows:

(2) A field may be withdrawn upon notification by the applicant to the certifying agency's office before field inspection. In such case, the field inspection fee is refunded upon request until June 30 of the year following harvest.

(3) Harvest before field inspection causes forfeitures of both the application and field inspection fees, and completion of certification.