Foundation Seed
Program
Location
2900 Highway 130 East
Stuttgart, Arkansas 72160
CONTACT
John Carlin, Director
Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program
Phone: 479-426-0805
Email: jfcarlin@uark.edu
Foundation Seed program
FSP is responsible for the production of rice and soybean foundation seed and assisting breeders in the production of breeder seed. Its primary goal is to make the seed of newly released and proven varieties available to Arkansas growers as quickly as possible. The Foundation Seed program is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and based at the Rice Research and Extension Center near Stuttgart. It operates in a state-of-the-art seed plant opened in 2016.
Facilities
Located at the Rice Research & Extension Center in Stuttgart, Arkansas, the Foundation Seed Facility opened in 2016 to replace a unit dating back to the 1950s. This state-of-the-art facility manages the certified foundation seed produced by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. All foundation seed is inspected throughout the entire process, from the field to the point of sale, to ensure high quality and purity. The facility can process as much as 250 bushels of seed an hour, including precleaning, cleaning, sizing and bagging. The seed plant can handle more than 25 varieties of seed each year and processes rice, soybean, and wheat. The Foundation Seed Facility was built with the support of the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board, the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, the Arkansas Wheat Promotion Board, and the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.
Purchase Policy
Who may purchase seed from Arkansas Foundation Seed?
Any federal or state agency, seed company, or agricultural producer who is actively engaged in the production of certified, registered, or hybrid planting seeds, may purchase plant materials from a University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Foundation Seed Service. To be considered a Priority Customer, the buyer must participate in the AFS Early Order program and participate in the certification programs in the state where the seed/ plant material is to be grown. These Priority Customers have precedence in getting their seed orders filled, in order of their ranking. For specific order, policies, and information please see the Seed Order Packet for Rice and Soybean.
If there is seed inventory in excess of what Priority Customers order, then seed may be ordered for general crop use. All customers will be required to abide by all federal and state seed laws pertaining to the variety purchased and will be required to abide by licensing agreements and royalty arrangements for the varieties purchased. Failure to adhere to the above policy requirements may inhibit future purchases of any University of Arkansas Foundation seed or plant materials.
The Arkansas State Plant Board inspects all seed production fields submitted for certification, and seed laboratories analyze seed samples to determine seed quality and germination. If you are not currently a Certified Seed Producer and would like to participate in Certified Seed production in Arkansas, you may apply with the Arkansas State Plant Board for your area of the state. The inspector will assist you to become a certified seed grower. Please refer to the Arkansas State Plant Board website for more information.
Through the certification system, Arkansas farmers can be assured of obtaining adequate amounts of genetically pure crop seed. Without such a system, the seed of new superior varieties would tend to become mixed and contaminated. They would lose their varietal identity and the particular characteristic that made them superior when they were released. Since operation under the rules and regulations of certification is voluntary, inspections are made and labels are issued to only those firms and individuals who may choose to qualify and are in a position to meet all requirements.
Plant Variety Protection
PVP Level: What does it mean to producers?
Plant materials developed by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture breeders are considered as intellectual property and are owned and managed by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, under System employees. The Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA) provides legal intellectual property rights protection to developers of new varieties. Plant Variety Protection (PVP) allows owners of new varieties to maintain control over the purity and the marketing of the variety.
It is very important that you check the description of the variety for the level of protection.
- Variety not Protected by PVPA or Patent: No limit on how much seed a farmer can save and sell. Seed sold commercially must be sold by variety name
- U. S. Protected Variety thru Certification (PVPA 1970 title V): to be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed. A farmer may save enough seed to plant on his or her own farm holdings. If farm plans change, the farmer may sell the saved seed, but only the amount saved to plant his or her own holdings. No farmer saved seed can be sold unless certified by the Seed Certification Agency in the state where it is grown. (In Arkansas, that agency is the State Plant Board.)
- U. S. Protected Variety (PVPA 1970 and no title V): A farmer may save enough seed to plant on his or her own farm holdings. If farm plans change, the farmer may sell the saved seed, but only the amount saved to plant his or her own holdings. All seed must be sold by variety name.
- U. S. Plant Variety Protection Applied for under the 1970 PVPA law and maybe thru title V or not: Application for protection is pending, but same rules apply.
- U. S. Protected Variety (PVPA 94 and no title V): A farmer may save enough seed to plant on his or her own farm holdings. Saved seed may not be sold without permission from the variety owner.
- U. S. Protected Variety (PVPA 94 and title V): to be sold by Variety name only as a class of certified seed. A farmer may save enough seed to plant on his or her own farm holdings. No seed may be sold without permission from the variety owner. If permission is granted, seed must be sold as a class of certified seed.
- U. S. Plant Variety Protection Applied for PVPA 94: may be thru title V or not. Same rules apply.
- U. S. Plant Variety Protection (PVPA 94) is expected to be applied for: Until official notice is received, the variety has no protection. It is the grower’s responsibility to determine the current status of the variety.
Under both the original PVP law and the 1994 PVP law, it is an infringement to CLEAN, BAG, or STORE farmer saved seed if the quantity exceeds what the farmer can legally save for planting purposes. The conditioner can be held liable for PVPA infringements.
If a variety is Patented or Contains a Patented Gene, and the patent has not expired, such as the Roundup Ready 2 or most Bt and VIP traits, a farmer may not save any seed for planting purposes, as per the seed agreement signed by the seed purchaser. A CUSTOM CLEANER-CONDITIONER MAY NOT CLEAN ANY SEED OF PATENT PROTECTED VARIETIES. To do so is an infringement of the patent.
However, for patented, publicly released varieties from the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, we give farmers the permission to save and clean seed of our released varieties of rice, soybeans, and wheat. This includes our soybean varieties which contain the RR1 trait on which the patent has expired.
Seed Tags
Three basic types of tags can be found on seed bags:
- Certification tags
- Analysis tags
- Treatment tags
It is important that the producer retains the tags from each lot of seed.
Good crop production begins with high-quality planting seed. Standards may vary from crop to crop, but a certification tag on a bag of seed is the symbol of quality. It assures the purchaser that the seed inside the bag is the variety stated and it has met the standards for germination and purity.
Each class of certified seed is associated with a colored seed tag. Certified seed tags are blue, registered are purple, and foundation tags are white.
Where to buy Arkansas plant varieties
The Arkansas State Plant Board, the seed certifying agency of the state of Arkansas, maintains a directory of growers who have made an application for inspection and met all other requirements under the seed certification program. Read the Arkansas Certified Seed Directory pdf file at the Seed Division tab of the Arkansas State Plant Board website
Inquiries or orders should be sent directly to the growers or seed dealers. Information about the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture varieties can be found on Arkansas Foundation Seed program website at (website address)
If you cannot find a grower or seed dealer who can provide the seed or vegetative material you require, consult with a licensee of that particular variety. If you are not sure what variety would suit your needs best, contact your local University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Extension Agent, who will be happy to assist you.
Distribution of new varieties and those under contract:
The seed of new varieties produced will be priced and allocated by AFS under guidance by the Seed Council.
Allocation of seed to priority growers will be completed as soon as possible following the official decision of release. When seed supply is limited, the allocation may be delayed. Allocation of quantities and recipients will be determined by the Seed Council, chaired by AFS Director.
Some seed may be allocated to other states under cooperative agreements according to the Seed Council and ACVIA.ASF will revise and distribute seed price and fee schedules as necessary.
Seed Order Packet for Rice and Soybean
Suggested links:
Neighboring state’s variety testing.
Seed Dealers
Northeast
| BIG BAY FARMS, INC. TRUMANN, AR License #: R-407 Phone: (870) 930-4954 |
CACHE RIVER VALLEY SEED, LLC CASH, AR License #: R-1033 Phone: (870) 477-5427 |
| CARTER-COX SEEDS, INC. KNOBEL, AR License #: R-008 Phone: (870) 259-3231 |
CULLUM SEEDS, LLC / ARMOR SEED, LLC WALDENBURG, AR License #: R-082 Phone: (870) 579-2286 |
| C. PHILLIPS FARMS, INC. WALNUT RIDGE, AR License #: R-172 Phone: (870) 886-6141 |
DAN MADDOX LLC. JONESBORO, AR License #: R-026 Phone: (870) 578-2106 |
| DANIEL PLANTING COMPANY AUGUSTA, AR License #: R-249 Phone: (870) 347-546 |
DAVID GAIRHAN, JR. TRUMANN, AR License #: R-079 Phone: (870) 430-4954 |
| EAGLE SEED COMPANY WEINER, AR License #: R-1031 Phone: (870) 684-7377 |
ERWIN-KEITH, INC. WYNNE LOCATION WYNNE, AR License #: R-088 Phone: (870) 238-2079 |
| FARM SERVICE, INC. DBA NE ARKANSAS SEEDS HOXIE, AR License #: R-011 Phone: (870) 886-3530 Subsidiary Locations |
GAIRHAN FARMS, INC. TRUMANN, AR License #: R-279 Phone: (870) 430-4954 |
| HIGHLAND FARMS, INC. JONESBORO, AR License #: R-239 Phone: (870) 931-1486 |
LAWRENCE COUNTY SEED COMPANY, INC. WALNUT RIDGE, AR License #: R-262 Phone: (870) 886-3362 |
| MADDOX SEEDS, LLC JONESBORO, AR License #: R-223 Phone: (870) 931-1486 |
PINNACLE AGRICULTURE DIST., INC/ SANDERS #53 LEACHVILLE, AR License #: R-061 Phone: (901) 462-2728 |
| PRINCE LAKE FARM, INC. JONESBORO, AR License #: R-245 Phone: (870) 578-2106 |
PROGENY AG PRODUCTS WYNNE, AR License #: R-107 Phone: (870) 238-2079 |
| SCOTT GAIRHAN TRUMANN, AR License #: R-1194 Phone: (870) 930-4954 |
TAYLOR SEED FARMS, INC. FISHER, AR License #: R-278 Phone: (870) 328-7222 |
| WAYNE GAIRHAN TRUMANN, AR License #: R-034 Phone: (870) 930-4954 |
Southeast
| CARL E. RAABE ALMYRA, AR License #: R-240 Phone: (870) 992-3405 |
LARRY PORTER SEED, LLC. ROE, AR License #: R-216 Phone: (870) 241-3516 |
| PETRUS SEED & GRAIN CO., INC. HAZEN, AR License #: R-140 Phone: (870) 255-3346 |
STRATTON SEED COMPANY STUTTGART, AR License #: R-130 Phone: (870) 673-4433 |
Location
2900 Highway 130 East
Stuttgart, Arkansas 72160
CONTACT
John Carlin, Director
Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program
Phone: 479-426-0805
Email: jfcarlin@uark.edu
Rice
Soybean
Wheat
Rice
Soybean