Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 3, March 22, 2024
I. Application of
Genetic Certification Standards
A. The
General Certification Standards, Clemson University Regulation
27-190,
as adopted are basic and applicable and together with the following specific
standards constitute the standards for certification of hemp, as well as any
standards approved by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies
(AOSCA) Standards Council.
B. The
Genetic Standards by AOSCA are modified as follows:
1. All production of hemp crops are subject
to license application approval that may be required by regulatory
authorities.
2. Only varieties of
hemp approved by regulatory authorities are eligible for
certification.
3. The allowable
area of a hemp research area or production field may be determined by state or
local agencies.
4. Growers may be
required by regulatory agencies to obtain THC test results according to
applicable regulations. Growers may be required to submit these results to the
seed certifying agency before a crop certificate is issued.
II. Land Requirements
A. Hemp crops for Foundation and Registered
classes must not be grown on land which in any of the preceding 3 years
produced a crop of hemp.
B. Hemp
crops for Certified classes must not be grown on land which:
1. In the preceding year produced a certified
crop of the same variety.
2. In
either of the preceding 2 years produced a non-certified crop of hemp or a
different variety of hemp.
C. Weeds
1.
The presence of Broomrape (Orobanche spp.) in hemp crops is cause for declining
certified status.
III. Field Standards
A. Crop Inspection
1. It is the grower's responsibility to
ensure that fields are inspected by an authorized inspector at least once prior
to swathing or harvesting, except in the case of Foundation, Registered, and
Certified monoecious types and unisexual hybrids and Foundation dioecious
types, in which 2 inspections are required.
2. A field that is cut, swathed or harvested
prior to crop inspection is not eligible for certification.
3. Fields must be inspected at a stage of
growth when varietal purity is best determined. Crops not inspected at the
proper stage for best determining varietal purity may be cause for declining
certified status.
4. First
inspection for all classes of monoecious types must be made just before or at
early flowering. First inspection for all classes of dioecious types must be
made after flowering when male plants are beginning to senesce.
5. Second inspection for all classes of
monoecious types, and the Foundation class of dioecious types must be made when
seeds are well forming.
6.
Isolation areas will be inspected for volunteer hemp plants on each
inspection.
B. Isolation
1. The area, density, stage of maturity and
location of any contaminating pollen source is an important factor in cross
pollination, and therefore must be noted on the Seed Crop Inspection Report for
consideration in determining certification status. There shall not be any
Cannabis sativa L. plants within 100 m of the crop and not more than 10
plants/ha beyond 100 m within the isolation requirement.
2. The required isolation must be present
prior to flowering and crop inspection.
Table 1 -
Minimum Isolation Distances Required Between Inspected Hemp and
Other Crops
|
Inspected Crop |
Other Crops |
Isolation Distance Required (feet) |
|
Dioecious type - Foundation |
Different varieties of Hemp Non-certified crop of
Hemp |
15,748 |
|
Lower certified class seed crop of same
variety |
6460 |
|
Same class of certified seed crop of same
variety |
10 |
|
Dioecious type - Registered |
Different varieties of Hemp Non-certified crop of
Hemp |
15,748 |
|
Seed crop of same variety that meets Certified
standards for varietal purity |
5249 |
|
Seed crop of same variety that meets Registered
standards for varietal purity |
3 |
|
Dioecious type - Certified |
Different varieties of Hemp
Non-certified Hemp |
2624 |
|
Planted with certified seed of the same variety that
meets Certified standards for varietal purity |
656 |
|
Seed crop of same variety that meets Certified
standards for varietal purity |
3 |
|
Monoecious type - Foundation |
Dioecious variety of Hemp Non-certified crop of
Hemp |
15,748 |
|
Other Monoecious varieties
Lower certified class seed crop of same
variety |
9690 |
|
Same class of certified seed of same
variety |
16 |
|
Monoecious type -
Registered |
Dioecious variety of Hemp
Non-certified crop of Hemp |
15,748 |
|
Different varieties of the same type of Hemp
(Monoecious or Female Hybrid) |
6460 |
|
Seed crop of same variety that meets Certified
standards for varietal purity |
3230 |
|
Seed crop of same variety that meets Registered
standards for varietal purity |
3 |
|
Monoecious type - Certified |
Dioecious variety of Hemp
Non-certified crop of Hemp |
3230 |
|
Different varieties of the same type of Hemp
(Monoecious or Female Hybrid)
Planted with certified seed of the same variety that
meets
Certified standards for varietal
purity |
656 |
|
Seed crop of same variety that meets Certified
standards for varietal purity |
3 |
C. Impurity Standards
Impurities should be removed prior to crop inspection.
Any combination of impurities may be reason for declining
certified status.
Table 2 indicates the maximum number of impurities permitted by
AOSCA in approximately 10,000 plants of the inspected crop. The inspector makes
at least 6 counts (10,000 plants each) or the equivalent to determine the
number of impurities. The resulting average of these counts must not exceed the
maximum impurity standards in Table 2.
Table 2 - Maximum Impurity Standards
|
Plot Crop |
Maximum Impurity Standards per 10,000 plants
in Hemp Seed Crops |
|
Maximum Number of Dioecious Male Plants
Shedding Pollen |
Maximum Number of Off-Types or Other
Varieties |
|
Dioecious type -
Foundation |
- |
3 |
|
Dioecious type -
Registered |
- |
10 |
|
Dioecious type -Certified |
- |
20 |
|
Monoecious type -
Foundation |
1 |
3 |
|
Monoecious type -
Registered |
2 |
10 |
|
Monoecious type -
Certified |
100 |
20 |
IV. Seed Standards
A. Hemp Seed Standards
1. Standards for Each Class
|
Standards for Each Class |
|
Factor |
Foundation |
Registered |
Certified |
|
Pure Seed (min.) |
98.00% |
98.00% |
98.00% |
|
Inert Matter (max.) * |
2.00% |
2.00% |
2.00% |
|
Weed Seeds (max.) |
0.10% |
0.10% |
0.10% |
|
Total other crop seeds (max.) |
0.01% |
0.03% |
0.08% |
|
Other Varieties (max) |
0.005% |
0.01% |
0.05% |
|
Other kinds (max.)** |
0.01% |
0.03% |
0.07% |
|
Germination (min.) *** |
80.00% |
80.00% |
80.00% |
|
*Inert matter shall not include more than 0.5 per
cent of material other than seed fragments of the variety under
consideration. |
|
**Other kinds shall not exceed 2 per lb. (454 grams)
for Foundation; 6 for Registered; 10 for Certified. |
|
***Exclusive of dormancy, firm or hard seed, or any
other reference to viability. |
B. Guidelines for the Production of Certified
Hemp Seed
1. Definitions
a. "Hemp" (Cannabis sativa L. supsp.sativa.)
includes varieties of these kinds:
i.
Dioecious type: with male and female flowers on separate plants.
ii. Monoecious type: with male and female
flowers on the same plant.
iii.
(Unisexual Female) Hybrids: with sterile male and fertile female flowers on the
same plant.
b. "Approved
Cultivar" means any variety designated as eligible for production by federal or
local regulatory authorities
c.
"THC" means delta-nine ([DELTA] 9) tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the component
of Hemp regulated by federal or local regulatory authorities.
Although traditionally a crop with a Dioecious plant type, many
Monoecious varieties of hemp (Cannabis sativa L. supsp.sativa) have been
developed. Hemp is sexually polymorphic and often produces many different
ratios of intersexual plant types that can increase roguing requirements.
Variety descriptions normally define these ratios.
d. "Foundation Seed Production" includes any
means of processing or conditioning of seed from a Foundation production area
which may contaminate the varietal purity of the seed is prohibited.
C. Area of Foundation
Fields
When unforeseen circumstances do not permit proper maintenance
of the entire field, it is recommended that the area be reduced by destroying
part of the field or by isolating a part to meet the requirements of a lower
status of certified seed. The remainder of the field must meet the requirements
for Foundation field production.
The area of a Foundation field includes the "walkways" provided
within the field to facilitate effective roguing.
D. Recommended Production Procedures
Field Planting
1.
Fields should be planted to facilitate inspection, roguing and
harvesting.
2. Fields should be
planted in areas easily accessible for frequent maintenance and to provide the
maximum protection from outside sources of contamination, such as roadways and
building sites.
3. Regulations for
land requirements are minimum standards and caution is necessary in choosing
land, as volunteer growth from previous crops may vary according to local
conditions.
4. The regulations for
isolation are minimum standards. It is always to the grower's advantage to
provide more isolation than required. When planting Foundation fields, specific
requirements may influence the location and size of the field. It is a
safeguard if adjacent crops are the same variety as the field and are inspected
for certified status.
E.
Roguing
1. The field must be thoroughly and
intensively rogued many times throughout the crop season.
Off-type male flowers must be removed before the receptive
stage of female flowers in the inspected crop.
2. The numbers and kinds of plants removed
should be recorded and described on the appropriate forms.
3. All male flowers rogued from the crop must
be removed from the production area and burial is recommended.
4. Regrowth of rogued flowers or plants must
be prevented.
F.
Harvesting, Cleaning and Storing
1. A seed
grower should have access to the necessary equipment for harvesting and
cleaning the seed from the field in such a manner as to ensure that the
varietal purity of the seed is maintained.
2. The seed should be stored, in compliance
with federal or local regulations, in a clean, cool, dry area.
3. The seed containers should be labelled for
identification.
It is recommended that not more than one variety of Hemp be
grown under the management of one grower.
V. Vegetatively Propagated Hemp
(Cannabis Sativa L. Subsp. Sativa) Certification Standards
A. Explanation of General Standards as
Applied to Hemp
The General Certification Standards, Clemson University
Regulation
27-190,
as adopted are basic and applicable and together with the following specific
standards constitute the standards for certification of Vegetatively Propagated
Hemp standards as well as classes and sources of certified Planting
stock.
B. Definitions
"Clones" are asexually propagated progeny genetically identical
to the stock plant.
"Structure or Field" is the production area enclosed by natural
borders such as ditches, tree lines, buildings, roads, or an enclosed growth
facility.
"Micropropagation" is the science of plant multiplication
in-vitro.
"Cuttings" are portions of stems containing leaves which are
rooted to produce clones.
"Breeder Plant Stock" (Source Seed) is propagation material
identified by the breeder, or the breeder's representative. The breeder must
also declare and document the way parent lines are selected and how the Plant
Stock is maintained.
"Mother Plant" is a plant produced from a Breeder Plant
Stock.
"Certified Plants" are plants produced from Mother
Plants.
"Certified Plants" may be used to produce Certified stock in
the growth facility or D1 Daughter stock.
C. Certified plants are propagated as
follows:
1. Mother Plants may be cut
repeatedly to produce D1 Daughter Plants. D1 Daughter Plants are produced by
cuttings from Mother Plants.
2. D1
Daughter plants may be cut repeatedly to produce D2 Daughter Plants. D2
Daughter plants are produced by cuttings from D1 Daughter Plants.
3. D2 Daughter plants may be cut repeatedly
to produce D3 Daughter plants. D3 Daughter plants are produced by cuttings from
D2 Daughter plants.
The grower shall retain documentation of the parent being used
to generate clones.
All grower records and grower developed Best Management
Practices (BMPs) related to the production of hemp clones shall be available
for inspection by the Certifying Agency.
D. Mother Plant Production
1. All Mother plants are to be inspected by
Certifying Agency periodically.
2.
Inspection of structures and fields will conform to documented and verifiable
production standards listed below.
E. Growth Facilities and Field Production
1. Production Requirements for Growth
Facility Production
a. Facility is to be
apparently free of diseases, insects, and other pests.
b. Hemp clones are to be handled in such a
manner as to prevent co-mingling of varieties or types.
c. Facility is to have sufficient physical
barriers between growth areas of hemp and other potential contaminating crops
prior to flowering and inspection to prevent cross-contamination of
type.
2. Production
Requirements for Open Field Production
a.
Field Eligibility - Crops should not be grown on land where remnant seed from a
previous crop may germinate and produce volunteers that may cause
contamination. Crops for Mother Plants must not be grown on land that produced
another crop of hemp within the previous five years. Crops for Certified class
must not be grown on land that had a hemp crop in the preceding three
years.
b. Field Isolation - Ten
feet or an appropriate barrier to alleviate accidental mixing of
plants.
F.
Inspections
1. Grower Responsibility
a. Maintain certification
standards.
2. Certifying
Agency Responsibility
a. The Agency will
inspect growth facilities and fields and to audit compliance with the grower
developed BMPs and their effectiveness.
b. Mother plants are inspected within seven
days before first cutting of daughters for certification.
c. Daughter plants are inspected within seven
days after planting.
3.
General Requirements - Plant increase standards are described in Section I,
C,3.
G. General
Inspection Standards of Plants
1. Plants
a. Apparently free of diseases, insects, and
other pests.
b. True-to-type
characteristics.
Reference Hemp Transplant Certification Standards
VI. Hemp Transplants (Cannabis Sativa L.
Subsp. Sativa) Certification Standards
A.
Application and Amplification of General Certification Standards
1. The General Certification Standards,
Clemson University Regulation
27-190,
as adopted are basic and applicable and together with the following specific
standards constitute the standards for certification of hemp transplants; a.k.a
seedlings, plugs.
2. Section V. of
the General Standards is amplified as follows to apply specifically to hemp
seedling certification.
3. All
Certified transplants must be grown from a class of certified seed or certified
clones. Proof of seed/clone eligibility shall be established by providing
either a certified tag/label with invoice showing the lot number and pounds
received or documentation of clone propagation under clone standards found in
the Seed Certification Handbook.
4.
Seed coated or pelleted by non-approved conditioners will not be eligible for
certification
5. All containers
must be labeled in a manner that maintains the source, identity and
certification eligibility of the transplants. All containers offered for sale
must be identified by the official seed certification tag/label. The tag/label
must be affixed (stapled, for example) to trays so tags/labels are not
misplaced.
B.
Definitions
1. Transplants: hemp plants that
originate from either seed or clones that are kept in a vegetative state
(before flowering) that will be moved to another production site.
2. Clones: are asexually propagated progeny
genetically identical to the stock plant.
3. Seedlings: plants grown from
seeds.
4. Plugs: young plants
raised in small, individual cells, intended for transplanting at another
production site.
C.
Growth Facility, Field and Transplant Standards
1. Traditional outdoor plant beds (fields)
will be inspected at least two times for phenotypic purity, isolation, general
physical condition, and appearance of plants.
2. Growth facility produced plants shall be
inspected at least two times for varietal labeling, phenotypic purity,
isolation, general physical condition, and appearance of plants.
3. Maximum off-type or other variety shall
not exceed 0.2%, or 20 in 10,000. Non-conforming plants must be removed and
destroyed.
4. At the time of the
final inspection, the number of transplants produced must be verified by agency
personnel.
5. Transplants may be
rejected for non-compliance with these standards.
6. Inspectors may also reject transplants due
to unsatisfactory appearance such as any plants that are diseased, insect
infestation, or otherwise stressed or any condition which prevents thorough
inspection.
Unlabeled or inadequately labeled transplants will be
ineligible for certification.
7. At the final inspection, transplants may
be collected for post-control grow outs or other identification verification
tests if required by agency.
8.
Certifying agency personnel may conduct additional inspections as necessary to
ensure certification standards are met.
D. Growth Facility, Plant Bed Soil Mix
Requirements
1. Hemp transplants must not be
grown on traditional outdoor plant beds (fields) which:
a. In either of the preceding two years
produced a non-certified crop of hemp or a different variety of hemp.
b. In the preceding year produced a certified
crop of a different variety
2. Hemp transplant growers using growth
facilities must use a SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) and document that the
facility is free of any plant material from a previous crop.
3. For growth facility production of
transplants, the soil mix must be new, soil-less media, or sanitized soil
mixes.
4. The presence of Broomrape
(Orobanche spp.) in hemp crops is cause for declining Certified
status.
E. Growth
Facility Isolation Standards
When two or more varieties are being grown in the same
greenhouse or traditional outdoor plant bed (field), there must be an 18"
unplanted area between the varieties. The production area, flats and/or
containers for each variety must be clearly labeled in a manner that prevents
mixing or misidentification.
Growers must handle transplants throughout the growing,
harvesting, and transplant sales in a manner that prevents the accidental or
mechanical mixture of containers of different varieties.
F. Labeling Standards
All certified transplants offered for sale must be labeled with
official certification tags or labels. Each container of transplants must have
an agency certification label firmly attached to be sold as certified
transplants. Failure to properly label transplants at the time of sale, will
revoke the certification status and will result in not being eligible for sale
as certified transplants.
VII. Feminized Hemp Seed (FHS) (Cannabis
Sativa L. Subsp. Sativa) Certification Standards
A. Application of Genetic Certification
Standards.
The General Certification Standards, Clemson University
Regulation
27-190,
as adopted are basic and applicable and together with the following specific
standards constitute the standards for certification of Feminized Hemp Seed and
are further modified as follows:
1. To
be eligible for seed certification under this standard, hemp varieties must
have received favorable action by one or more of the following processes
recognized by AOSCA, including:
a. AOSCA
Variety Review Board; or
b. Plant
Variety Protection office or Breeder Rights statements; or
c. Any individual AOSCA vested member agency;
or
d. Acceptance for certification
under the OECD seed schemes.
2. Designation of Classes of Seed. Only the
Certified class is recognized in the production of feminized hemp seed. The
Foundation class is allowed for the purpose of variety maintenance.
3. A feminized seed variety to be certified
must be produced from seed or clonal stocks approved by the official certifying
agency. These seed and clonal stocks shall consist of female lines and
chemically assisted pollen shedding female lines of any class of certified seed
or clones.
4. Growers may be
required by regulatory agencies to obtain THC test results according to
applicable regulations. Growers may be required to submit THC test results to
the seed certifying agency before the seed can be certified.
B. Definitions
1. Hemp. "Hemp" is defined by the U.S.
Domestic Hemp Production Program as the plant species Cannabis sativa L. and
any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives,
extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether
growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more
than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis or as otherwise defined by federal
law.
2. Dioecious type: with male
and female flowers on separate plants.
3. Monoecious type: with male and female
flowers on the same plant.
4.
Reversed female: female plants that are induced to produce pollen in
replacement of true male plants.
5.
Hermaphroditic plants: plants exhibiting male and female flowers, not true
females.
6. Feminized Hemp Seed
(FHS): the progeny of a dioecious female plant that has been pollinated with
pollen derived from the same or another dioecious female plant that has been
induced to produce pollen. It is a true female plant with XX
chromosomes.
7. Pollen parent: a
reversed female plant from the female line or another reversed female line to
create a hybrid.
8. Seed parent:
female plants used to produce feminized hemp seed.
9. Sporting male: is a female plant that
produces sterile male flowers.
10.
Variety: a subdivision of a kind that is distinct, uniform, and stable;
"distinct" in the sense that the variety can be differentiated by one or more
identifiable morphological, physiological, or other characteristics from all
other varieties of public knowledge; "uniform" in the sense that variations in
essential and distinctive characteristics are describable; and "stable" in the
sense that the variety will remain unchanged in its essential and distinctive
characteristics and its uniformity when reproduced or reconstituted as required
by the different categories of varieties.
11. Volunteer plant: a hemp plant that was
not intentionally planted and is the result from a previous crop.
12. Approved Cultivar: any variety designated
as eligible for production by federal or local regulatory
authorities.
13. THC: delta-nine
([DELTA] 9) tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the component of hemp regulated by
federal or local regulatory authorities.
C. Growth Facility and Land Requirements
1. Growth facility must only contain
certified hemp production. Multiple FHS varieties may be present but no other
hemp plants are allowed except for pollen parent plants that are the pollen
source.
2. Growth facility must be
free of all plants for a minimum of six weeks prior to receiving plants at the
beginning of the crop year or production season unless the previous crop was
the same variety. If sanitation is used to reduce the hemp free period, a
sanitation plan must be submitted to the certifying agency. Pollen sanitation
is not required if the entire greenhouse facility produces only one pollen
source and other female lines are continually rogued to prevent contaminating
pollen sources.
3. Certified
feminized hemp seed crops must not be grown on land which:
a. In either of the preceding two years
produced a non-certified crop of hemp or a different variety of hemp.
b. In the preceding year produced a certified
crop of a different variety.
4. Weeds
a.
The presence of Broomrape (Orobanche spp.) in hemp crops is cause for
rejection.
b. Excessive weeds
obscuring field inspection shall be grounds for rejection.
D. Growth Facility and Field
Standards
1. Crop Inspection
a. It is the grower's responsibility to
ensure that growth facility and field inspections are conducted by the
authorized inspector at least twice prior to swathing or harvesting.
b. A growth facility or field that is cut,
swathed or harvested prior to crop inspection is not eligible for
certification.
c. Inspections of
pollen parent plants and seed parent plants must be at a stage of growth when
varietal purity is best determined. Crops not inspected at the proper stage for
best determining varietal purity may be cause for rejection. A minimum of two
inspections are required.
d. First
inspection for pollen parent and seed parent plants must be made just before or
at early flowering. The pollen parent must be inspected prior to pollen
collection or dispersal.
e. Second
inspection for pollen parent and seed parent types must be completed after
pollen shed and seed fill.
f.
Isolation areas will be inspected for any volunteer hemp plants on each
inspection.
2. Specific
a. For the production of FHS varieties via
pollen shedding by the chemically reversed female plants.
i. Detailed records shall be created and
maintained on the pollen parent, such as the chemical application dates,
concentration, and the pollen collection date.
ii. Pollen storage containers (if used) must
be marked with lot number and source.
iii. Chemically reversed female plants
(pollen parent) must be removed and destroyed after pollen collection is
complete.
iv. Male, sporting male,
and hermaphroditic plants must be removed from the growth facility or field and
a record of roguing activities must be maintained.
3. Isolation
a. Certified feminized hemp seed fields must
be isolated from all other contaminating pollen sources by the distances
provided in Table 1. Roguing to eliminate all possible contaminating pollen
must be accomplished prior to visible flower formation.
b. Greenhouse production of Certified
feminized seed is allowed if mechanical isolation of pollen sources is
provided. Additional greenhouse requirements include:
i. Method of pollen exclusion must be
documented and submitted to the certifying agency.
ii. Each greenhouse facility is limited to
one variety or multiple varieties when one pollen parent is utilized for all
varieties.
iii. Each variety must
be clearly labeled and easily identifiable from one another.
c. Off season greenhouse
production when outside pollen sources are not alive may reduce the isolation
requirement.
Table 1
Minimum Isolation Distances Required Between Inspected Hemp and
Other Crops
|
Inspected Crop |
Other Hemp Crops |
Isolation
Distance
Required (feet) |
|
Feminized
Hemp Seed |
- Variety of hemp, or other contaminating pollen
source that has pollen shedders present, this includes other greenhouse
complexes
- Non-certified crop of hemp
- Different varieties of the same type of hemp with
no male shedders present in field that is not for seed production.
- Planted with certified seed of the same variety
that meets Certified standards for varietal purity and no male shedders present
in field |
15,748 |
|
- Certified seed crop of the same variety that meets
Certified standards for varietal purity |
3 |
E. Impurity Standards
1. Impurities should be removed prior to crop
inspection.
2. Any combination of
impurities may be reason for declining certified status.
3. Table 2 indicates the maximum number of
impurities permitted by AOSCA in approximately 10,000 plants of the inspected
crop. The inspector makes at least 6 counts of a total of at least 10,000
plants to determine the number of impurities. The resulting average of these
counts must not exceed the maximum impurity standards in Table 2.
Table 2
|
Inspected Crop |
Maximum Impurity Standards per 10,000 plants in Hemp
Seed Crops |
|
Maximum Number of Plants
Shedding Pollen |
Maximum Number of Off-Types or Other
Varieties |
|
Feminized Hemp
Seed |
0 |
20 |
F. Seed Standards
1. Feminized Hemp Seed Standards
|
Feminized Hemp Seed Standards for each
class |
|
Factor |
Foundation |
Certified |
|
Pure Seed (min.) |
98.00% |
98.00% |
|
Inert matter (max.) |
2.00 % |
2.00% |
|
Weed seeds (max.) |
0.10% |
010% |
|
Total other crop seeds (max.)w |
0.01% |
0.08% |
|
Other varieties (max.) |
.005% |
0.05% |
|
Other kinds (max.) ** |
0.01% |
0.07% |
|
Germination (min.) |
80.00% |
80.00% |
|
Feminized Seed *** |
99.00% |
99.00% |
|
*Inert matter shall not include more than 0.5 percent
of material other than seed fragments of the variety under
consideration. |
|
**Other kinds shall not exceed 2 per lb. (454 grams)
for Foundation; 10 for Certified. |
|
***Determined by Variety Verification Trial or
approved molecular testing |
G. Guidelines to Produce Certified Hemp Seed
1. Certified Seed Production
Although traditionally a crop with a Dioecious plant type, many
Monoecious varieties of hemp (Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa) have been
developed. Hemp is sexually polymorphic and often produces many different
ratios of intersexual plant types that can increase roguing requirements.
Variety descriptions normally define these ratios.
a. Quality Assurance (QA) Program standards
will be equal to or exceed the AOSCA Standards for certification for varietal
purity of the Certified class of seed, with the following exceptions:
i. Varietal eligibility
requirements
ii. Seedstock
eligibility
b. Any means
of processing or conditioning of seed from a production area which may
contaminate the varietal purity of the seed is prohibited.
2. Area of Fields
a. When unforeseen circumstances do not
permit proper maintenance of the entire field, it is recommended that the area
be reduced by destroying part of the field or by isolating a part to meet the
requirements. The remainder of the field must meet the requirements for
certified field production.
b. The
area of a field includes the "walkways" provided within the field to facilitate
effective roguing and inspecting.
3. Recommended Production Procedures
Field Planting
a.
Fields should be planted to facilitate inspection, roguing and
harvesting.
b. Fields should be
planted in areas easily accessible for frequent maintenance and to provide the
maximum protection from outside sources of contamination, such as roadways and
building sites.
c. Regulations for
land requirements are minimum standards and caution is necessary in choosing
land, as volunteer growth from previous crops may vary according to local
conditions.
d. The regulations for
isolation are minimum standards. It is always to the grower's advantage to
provide more isolation than required. When planting fields, specific
requirements may influence the location and size of the field. It is a
safeguard if adjacent crops are the same variety as the field and are inspected
for certified status.
4.
Roguing
a. The field must be thoroughly and
intensively rogued many times throughout the crop season.
b. Off-type male flowers must be removed
before the receptive stage of female flowers in the inspected crop.
c. The numbers and kinds of plants removed
should be recorded and described on the appropriate forms.
d. All male flowers rogued from the crop must
be removed from the production area and burial is recommended. The male flowers
should be bagged during removal to prevent unwanted pollen transfer during
removal.
e. Regrowth of rogued
flowers or plants must be prevented.
5. Harvesting, Cleaning and Storing
a. A seed grower should have access to the
necessary equipment for harvesting and cleaning the seed from the field in such
a manner as to ensure that the varietal purity of the seed is
maintained.
b. The seed should be
stored, in compliance with federal or local regulations, in a clean, cool, dry
area.
c. The seed containers should
be labelled for identification.
It is recommended that not more than one variety of Hemp be
grown under the management of one grower or one distinct
facility.
