Seed Certification

Applications, Forms and Publications

About the Certified Seed Program

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) is dedicated to supporting healthy, viable seed growth in Nevada, therefore it provides seed certification services in Nevada. As the only official Seed Certification Agency in Nevada designated by NRS 587 and NAC 587 and by the Association of Official Seed Certification Agencies (AOSCA), the State Seed Program manages a diverse range of seed crops.

Certified seed in Nevada is primarily produced in the northern territory of the state. Some regions where seed is grown include Douglas, Humboldt, Pershing, and White Pine Counties.

Certified seed crops have certain standards depending on crop type and will be treated differently regarding certification procedures. Each crop will differ genetically and physiologically; therefore it needs to be inspected appropriately throughout the certification process. The Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA), develops and implements these certification standards that must be followed when performing services and declaring crop eligibility. The following information describes the variety of seed crops and their purpose in the state of Nevada.

Alfalfa Seed

Alfalfa

Over 5000 acres of high-quality alfalfa seed is grown throughout the state for domestic and overseas use. Mostly conventional alfalfa varieties are planted in Nevada. All certified alfalfa seed is grown under irrigation and harvested to preserve both genetic purity and varietal identity.

Barley Seed

Barley

Certified barley seed is mainly grown throughout the northern regions of the state. Barley is typically grown as a grain crop and as a rotation crop. It can be used as a component in beer and certain distilled beverages as well as for animal fodder.

Garlic Seed

Nevada is one of the premier garlic growing areas in the world. Nevada garlic seed is inspected annually for both white rot fungus (Sclerotium cepivorum) and stem & bulb nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci) annually to establish the highest quality product. Over 500 acres are grown each year. Garlic from Nevada goes all over the United Sates and the world.

Native Seed

Native seed is grown and even collected for re-establishing rangelands from wildfires, reclamation, landscaping, and highway seeding. Native seeds are highly desirable, and the Seed Program is becoming more engaged with native seed source identification processes, or “yellow tagging” these seeds under a quality assurance program.

Grass Seed

A multitude of grass species, including wheatgrasses and wildryes, are certified by the Department annually. These species are typically integrated into restoration projects across the western United States.

Potato Seed

Potato seed production is a developing industry in Nevada and a couple hundred acres are grown in the northern region of the state, in Humboldt County. Potatoes are our most intensive crop when it comes to oversight and regulations. We work closely with our growers and perform a minimum of three field inspection per crop annually to ensure compliance with state certification standards. Additionally, a post-harvest test is performed in greenhouse at our headquarters in Sparks during the off-season to test for latent viral infections.

Oat Seed

Oats are grown in Nevada as a good yielding cold tolerant plant. Oats produce a nutrient rich seed that is great for livestock or human consumption.

Triticale Seed

Triticale seed is grown for a high-quality hay and forage for cattle. Triticale has a wide adaptability to drought conditions. A cross between rye and durum wheat, the combination gives drought tolerance and high protein for cattle.

Wheat Seed

Wheat seed is grown in Nevada for livestock feed and as a rotational crop under irrigation and is typically sold as grain

Applications, Forms & Publications

Certified Seed Tag Examples

These tags can be issued for any seed crop that meets the eligibility requirements of certification.

Certified Seed Tag Example

CERTIFIED SEED

Kind:
Variety:
Lot #:
Certification #:

NOTICE TO BUYER: DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF DAMAGES

THE SEEDS IN THIS CONTAINER ARE FROM A LOT OF SEED WHICH WAS PRODUCED, CONDITIONED AND INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS OF THE NEVADA SEED CERTIFICATION SERVICE. IN NO EVENT WILL THE STATE OF NEVADA BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. THIS DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY MAY NOT BE ALTERED OR AMENDED.

IT IS UNDERSTOOD BY THE BUYER THAT "CERTIFICATION" OF ANY SEED LOT BY THE STATE OF NEVADA MEANS ONLY THAT THE CERTIFIED SEED LOT HAS BEEN VISUALLY INSPECTED AND THAT RANDOM SAMPLES HAVE BEEN TESTED AND HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE STANDARDS AS SET FORTH BY THE NEVADA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. CERTIFICATION OF ANY LOTS IS NOT A GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY THAT THE CERTIFIED LOT IS FREE FROM DEFECTS SUCH AS DESEASE, ROT OR NOXIOUS WEEDS.

MEMBER OF ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL SEED CERTIFYING AGENCIES

Source Identified Seed Tag Example

SOURCE IDENTIFIED SEED

Species Name:
Common Name:
Germplasm ID/Transfer Zone:
G0 County, State, Elevation:
Lot #:
Certification #:

NOTICE TO BUYER: DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF DAMAGES

THE SEEDS IN THIS CONTAINER ARE FROM A LOT OF SEED WHICH WAS INSPECTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS OF THE NEVADA SEED CERTIFICATIONSERVICE. IN NO EVENT WILL THE STATE OF NEVADA BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT BE ALTERED OR AMENDED.

MEMBER OF ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL SEED CERTIFYING AGENCIES