Missouri Code of State Regulations
Title 2 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Division 70 - Plant Industries
Chapter 35 - Seed Regulation
Section 2 CSR 70-35.020 - Seed Labeling Requirements
Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 6, March 15, 2024
PURPOSE: This rule clarifies permitted ways in which to label noxious weed seed content, requires a complete address of the seed labeler, sets forth labeling requirements for vegetable seed below standard in germination, sets vegetable seed germination standards, requires the purity percentages of seed labeling to equal one hundred percent, requires that labeling information on the seed label be put in a set format, forbids advertising matter on a seed label, forbids extraneous information on a seed label, requires some indication of not for sale on unlabeled seed stored in sales outlets and makes the seed owner responsible for the labeling of bulk and opened bags of seed.
(1) Labeling Seed as to Noxious Weed Seed Content. Noxious weed seed content must be labeled in one (1) of the three (3) following ways :
| Noxious Weed Seed Content | ||
| Allowed by This Choice of Labeling | ||
| Agricultural Seed | (per pound) | (per 100 grams) |
| Agrostis species | 80 | 18 |
| Poa species | 80 | 18 |
| Bermuda grass | 80 | 18 |
| Timothy | 80 | 18 |
| Orchard grass | 80 | 18 |
| Fescues (except meadow | ||
| and tall) | 80 | 18 |
| Alside and white clover | 80 | 18 |
| Reed canary grass | 80 | 18 |
| Ryegrasses | 48 | 11 |
| Meadow and tall fescues | 48 | 11 |
| Millets | 48 | 11 |
| Alfalfa | 48 | 11 |
| Red clover | 48 | 11 |
| Sweet clovers | 48 | 11 |
| Lespedezas | 48 | 11 |
| Brome grass | 48 | 11 |
| Crimson clover | 48 | 11 |
| Rape | 48 | 11 |
| Agrogyron species | 48 | 11 |
| Vetches | 16 | 4 |
| Sudan grass | 16 | 4 |
| Wheat | 80 | 18 |
| Oats | 80 | 18 |
| Barley | 80 | 18 |
| Buckwheat | 80 | 18 |
| Sorghums | ||
| (except sudan grass) | 80 | 18 |
| Soybeans | 80 | 18 |
| Cowpea | 80 | 18 |
(2) The seed label shall show the name, complete address and zip code of the seed labeler.
(3) Vegetable seed which is below standard according to section (4) shall also be labeled in accordance with the requirements of section 266.051, RSMo (1986) as follows:
(4) The germination of vegetable seed in packets of one pound (1 lb.) or less must exceed the following standards or read below standard and state the germination percentage. For vegetable seed not given a standard germination percentage, the germination must be shown on the packet:
| Percent of | |
| Kind of Seed | Germination |
| Artichoke | 60% |
| Asparagus | 70% |
| Beans, garden | 70% |
| Beans, lima | 70% |
| Beans, runner | 75% |
| Beet | 65% |
| Broadbean | 75% |
| Broccoli | 75% |
| Brussel Sprouts | 70% |
| Cabbage | 75% |
| Carrot | 55% |
| Cauliflower | 75% |
| Celery and Celeriac | 55% |
| Chicory | 65% |
| Chinese Cabbage | 75% |
| Citron | 65% |
| CoUards | 80% |
| Com | 75% |
| Cowpea | 75% |
| Garden Cress | 60% |
| Water Cress | 40% |
| Cucumber | 80% |
| Eggplant | 60% |
| Endive | 70% |
| Kale | 75% |
| Kohlrabi | 75% |
| Leek | 60% |
| Lettuce | 80% |
| Muskmelon | 75% |
| Mustard | 75% |
| Spinach Mustard | 75% |
| Vegetable Mustard | 75% |
| Okra | 50% (including |
| hard seed) | |
| Onion | 70% |
| Parsley | 60% |
| Parsnip | 60% |
| Peas | 80% |
| Pepper | 55% |
| Pumpkin | 75% |
| Radish | 75% |
| Rhubarb | 60% |
| Rutabaga | 75% |
| Salsify | 75% |
| Soybean | 75% |
| Spinach | |
| (except New Zealand) | 60% |
| New Zealand Spinach | 40% |
| Squash | 75% |
| Swiss Chard | 65% |
| Tomato | 75% |
| Turnip | 80% |
| Watermelon | 70% |
(5) The purity percentages of pure seed, inert matter, other crop and weeds' seed shall total one hundred percent (100%) on the seed tag.
(6) The information required on an agricultural seed label should appear in the following format:
Kind or Kind and Variety of Seed
| Pure seed % | Germination % | Net weight |
| Inert matter % | Hard seed % | Lot # |
| Other crop % | Total germination Origin and hard seed % | |
| Weed seed % | Month and year of germination test |
Noxious weed seeds per pound or per one hundred grams
*The name and address of person or company held responsible for seed labeling should follow other information or should be printed on opposite side of label.
An alternative to the second column labeling may be provided for crops producing hard seed as follows:
Total germination % which includes % of hard seed
(7) No advertising matter of any kind shall be printed on the label.
(8) No printed or written matter of any kind shall be attached to the original label.
(9) Seed in Storage. Any agricultural or vegetable seed, whether in bags, bins or other containers exposed to customers in a retail sales outlet, shall be considered offered or exposed for sale for seeding purposes in Missouri and will be subject to the provisions of the Missouri Seed Law, unless the seed is labeled in one (1) of the following ways: "For Feeding Purposes Only" (with no reference being made to germination, variety or other factors indicating that the seed is suitable for seeding purposes) or "For Processing Only- Not For Sale".
(10) Any treatment of seed regulated by this law must be labeled to show the treatment.
(11) The owner or possessor shall be responsible for properly labeled bulk or opened bags of agricultural seed.
(12) A declaration for the maximum percentage of seed containing the endophyte fimgus, Epichole typhina (Acremonium coenophialum), may be made for a seed lot. For example, "endophyte not more than ten percent (10%)" or "live endophyte not more than ten percent (10%)". When the declaration is for live endophyte, the labeling company must provide to the Missouri Department of Agriculture upon request-
*Original authority: 266.091, RSMo 1951, amended 1957, 1978, 1979, 1993, 1995.
