The Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations 1993

CONDITIONS RELATING TO CROPS FROM WHICH SEEDS OTHER THAN COMMERCIAL SEED ARE OBTAINED

1.  So far as the Minister can ascertain them, by the use of methods which shall include official examination of the crop and which may, at such stages in the production of a variety as the Minister may require, include examination of a plot sown with a sample from the seed lot sown in the field and the consideration of any other relevant information, the requirements for the crop set out below shall be met.

Varietal identity and varietal purity

2.  The characteristics for the determination of varietal identity and varietal purity shall be those recognised as those of the variety for the purposes of the National List or the Common Catalogue.

Crop inspections

3.  The crop shall be officially examined in such manner and at such times (when the cultural condition of the field and the stage of development and condition of the crop are such as to permit suitable checks of varietal identity, varietal purity and species purity to be made) as the Minister may reasonably require.

Previous cropping

4.  The crop may be grown only on land which has not previously been cropped in a manner which might adversely affect the nature or quality of the seeds to be produced and which complies with the Minister’s requirements in that respect.

Limitation of the number of harvest years

5.  A crop to produce Pre-basic Seed, Basic Seed or Certified Seed of Italian ryegrass, and varieties of other kinds which are conducive to the establishment from shed seed of a high proportion of plants which themselves produce seeds, shall not be used to produce a crop in the second harvest year unless:—

(a)Pre-basic Seed was produced in the first harvest year in which case Basic Seed may be produced, or

(b)Basic Seed was produced in the first harvest year and the seed sown to produce the crop were Pre-basic Seed in which case Certified Seed may be produced.

Isolation distances

6.  There shall be a physical barrier or at least 2 metres of fallow between the seed crops and any crop likely to cause contamination in the seed.

7.  Field pea crops grown for the production of Pre-basic Seed, Basic Seed, Certified Seed of the First Generation or Certified Seed of the Second Generation shall be isolated by 50 metres, throughout their whole growing period, from all other pea crops not being grown for such production.

8.  Throughout the period of flowering of the crop there shall be the following minimum distances from sources of undesirable pollen capable of fertilizing the crop:—

With the approval of the Minister these standards may be modified if there is adequate protection against undesirable pollen.

Standards for varietal purity

9.  The crop shall have sufficient varietal identity and varietal purity. In particular the average level of the following impurities, by area or by number, as appropriate, shall not exceed—