Washington, DC, USA
May 18, 2012

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that Buchheit Inc., Perryville, Mo., has paid $1,575 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act.

This settlement resolves three cases that involved one shipment of tall fescue seed from Missouri to Georgia and two shipments of tall fescue seed from Missouri to Kentucky. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:

• false labeling as to germination percentage;
• failure to label with correct variety name;
• failure to test for germination prior to interstate shipment; and
• failure to keep or supply the complete records of the seed.

The company settled the cases in agreement with AMS officials. The company neither admitted nor denied the charges brought against them.

AMS administers the Federal Seed Act with the assistance of state seed officials. The investigations were completed through the joint efforts of AMS and seed regulatory officials in Georgia and Kentucky. 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: May 18, 2012