Washington, DC, USA
July 7, 2011

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced that James Reneau Seed Company, a seed company operating out of Shamrock, Texas, has paid $6,125 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act. The company settled the case in agreement with AMS officials. The company neither admitted nor denied the charges brought against them.

This settlement resolves 13 cases involving 13 shipments of rye seed to Georgia. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:

-false labeling as to germination rate; and
-false labeling as to germination test date; and
-false labeling as to noxious-weed seed rate; and
-false labeling as to variety name; and
-failure to keep or supply complete records as required.

AMS administers the Federal Seed Act with the assistance of state seed officials. The investigation was completed through the joint efforts of AMS and seed regulatory officials in Georgia. The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.
 

Website: http://www.ams.usda.gov

Published: July 7, 2011