FEDERAL AND STATE COMPLIANCE COMES FIRST

New West Genetics has always operated in compliance with the 2014 Federal Farm bill section 7606, and will remain so for the 2018 Farm Bill, as well as with the Federal Seed Act and state seed regulations. We recognize this compliance often varies state to state, therefore in each state and country we enter, our first step is to always confirm the regulatory steps and achieve approval from those agencies for all activities we will participate in, in their locale.

NWG is also at the forefront of being in compliance with the Federal Seed Act – all seed sold is labeled according to all requirements in the act.  Frequently in the industry, multiple claims (“100% feminized”, “high germination” “0.3% THC”, etc) are proven wrong at harvest, and farmers have been left holding the bag. This puts a stain on our industry, and is why NWG pursues 3rd party validation that our seed performs as we say, every time.

What is the Federal Seed Act?
1939 Federal Seed Act:  recognized need for official seed certification standards, and for truth in labeling, to protect the consumer.

In order to qualify as a seed certifying agency, must meet or exceed standards defined in the FSA.

Essentials:
• Must have quality statements
• All labeling + advertisements must be truthful
• Must keep records

Purpose:
• Protect consumer
• Promote uniformity between states, which promotes fair competition

Initially in the industry, building CBD up was the only valued target on the part of breeders, extractors, and end product retailers. We however, spent our time stabilizing low compliant THC first and foremost, while gradually increasing the CBD. As a result, we now have a healthy profile in our THCØTM trait: 0.00% THC and high CBD, in addition to the multitude of terpene and agronomic traits.  Adhering to the regulations took longer, but have paid off.

NWG sells AOSCA certified seed:
AOSCA is the seed certifying entity that enacts the US Federal Seed Act- they create the crop standards under which a seed lot can qualify to be “Certified”. AOSCA enacts the validation of those standards through its member organizations, or your local seed certifying agency.  In some states it is the Crop Improvement Association, in some it’s a Seed Growers Organization, in others it may be the local Ag University.  Certified seeds are labeled by that local Certifying agency.  Once seed has been Certified, it qualifies for the official “blue” Certified seed tag and meets state, federal and international seed law requirements.

There is one other important point to remember about Certified seed and the assurance it provides…..every seed lot must be produced according to AOSCA Standards in order to earn the Certified seed tag or label.  Seed certification is not a one-and-done process.  Before planting each season, the seed grower submits an application to their local seed certifying agency that includes proof they will be planting pure seed of a recognized variety.  The agency inspects the field during the growing season to confirm that the plants are uniform and true to type for that variety, and the seed grower uses good management practices to ensure that genetic purity is maintained from planting all the way to seed conditioning and packaging.

In some states, like Colorado, the State Department of Agriculture or the agriculture university will test and validate that the variety’s THC is stable and below 0.3%, in addition to the seed being AOSCA certified. These are two separate processes. Just because a seed demonstrates THC compliance does NOT mean it is also AOSCA certified, or vice versa. Be sure to look for both the 3rd party validation of THC, as well as AOSCA Certification.

Currently, New West Genetics offers four varieties that have been AOSCA certified, sold under the NWG ABOUND brand. All four are dioecious dual-purpose grain and fiber varieties  that have been validated for compliant THC levels by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. See variety descriptions here.

NWG’s AMPLIFY trait will enter AOSCA trials this 2024 season. Request CDA’s THC results from one of the ABOUND varieties here.

Certified seed validates the variety’s genetic purity, weed absence, uniformity for harvest, and maintains standards for each crop.