Washington, DC, USA
December 6, 2012

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that B & G Seed Processors Inc., Williston, Fla., has paid $3,150 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act.

This settlement resolves four cases involving one shipment of proso millet and three shipments of bahiagrass to Georgia. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:

• false labeling as to pure seed, other crop seed, and inert matter percentages;
• false labeling of germination percentages;
• false labeling of germination test date; and
• failure to keep or supply complete records of the seed, as required by the act.

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. 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: December 7, 2012