Fort Collins, Colorado, USa
July 30, 2013
As harvest wraps up, Great Plains wheat farmers are concerned about the availability of certified wheat seed, due to the crop failure in southeastern Colorado and western Kansas.
The Colorado Wheat Research Foundation (CWRF) and certified seed growers in Colorado are preparing to move certified wheat seed from areas that may have excess to areas that may have an apparent certified wheat seed deficit.
“There should be enough seed, but you need to make arrangements with certified seed dealers now,” says Darrell Hanavan, CWRF executive director, “I believe there will be plenty of good quality certified seed for those who make their arrangements without waiting until the last minute.”
Farmers should remember that brown-bagging seed (buying or selling wheat seed that is protected by the Plant Variety Protection Act to be used as seed from someone that is not a licensed certified seed grower) is illegal and carries substantial penalties. The overwhelming majority of all new wheat seed varieties are federally protected and can only be sold as a class of certified seed. Farmers may save their own wheat seed from previous years to re-plant on their own farms, unless the variety is protected under a technology agreement or other contract, such as a Clearfield® variety (Brawl CL Plus, Bond CL Thunder CL) or Snowmass hard white winter wheat.
Farmers should check the PlainsGold website (www.plainsgold.com) which lists seed growers and varieties available, contact their local seed grower to check on availability of certified seed in their area or contact the CWRF office at 970-449-6994.
For more information on the Plant Variety Protection Act, please visit: http://www.farmersyieldinitiative.com/.
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