Quality Assurance

FFSC member seed farmers share one common goal: to invest in quality organic seed for the benefit of organic farmers.  FFSC President Don Tipping of Seven Seeds Farm in Williams, Oregon, remarked,

 “This group represents some of the best organic seed growers in the United States. Our primary goal is to raise the quality of organic seed and make it available to organic farmers throughout the country. Organic farmers deserve the opportunity to plant seeds that were specifically bred to perform in their localized organic systems.”

FFSC is implementing rigorous quality assurance standards for open-pollinated varieties.  FFSC's Quality Assurance Program includes:

·      Quality assurance trials

·      Stock seed maintenance and improvement program

·      Testing protocols

·      Crop production specifications

Quality assurance trials

All seed lots will be grown out prior to entering the marketplace to ensure varietal integrity and performance.

Stock seed maintenance & improvement program

FFSC is implementing a stock seed maintenance and improvement program to keep open pollinated varieties in tip-top condition, ensuring varietal integrity.  FFSC’s stock seed and variety improvement program will:

·      identify agronomic and quality traits of interest,

·      select plants exhibiting those traits of interest,

·      rogue out plants exhibiting undesirable traits,

·      produce seed from these elite selections

This program of ongoing selection will provide for continuous maintenance and improvement, ensuring that FFSC seed producers will start out with elite quality stock seed.

Testing Protocols

Germination testing:  We routinely test for rates of germination with a certified seed testing laboratory.  FFSC seed exceedes USDA minimum germination standards.

Seed purity evaluation:  Purity testing evaluates the presence of seed from other crops, weed seed (including noxious weeds), and inert matter.

Pathology monitoring and testing: FFSC monitors for crop diseases and tests for seed born pathogens of concern

Crop Production Specifications

FFSC will provide its members with Standard Production Procedures for its principle seed crops ensuring consistency in production standards across its growers members.