Section 907.02 of the Ohio Revised Code (see Appendix 2) designates the OSIA as the official seed-certifying agency for Ohio. The association shall certify agricultural or vegetable seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants for varietal identification or for other factors. The OSIA is ultimately responsible to the Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture. This association maintains and makes available to the farmers of Ohio and other states, and the public in general, high-quality seed of genetically pure varieties.
The OSIA is a nonprofit organization, which is supported by fees and levies paid by the membership. OSIA is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of eight producer members, three university representatives, and one representative from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The OSIA office is located at Dublin, Ohio. A modern seed laboratory provides seed analysis services for both members and farmers. More than 18,000 such tests are performed annually. Seed crops certified in Ohio include corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, oats, spelt, forestry reproductive materials, and native grasses. Total acres entered for field inspection have historically exceeded 100,000 annually.
The Ohio seed certification program is based on genetic purity standards. OSIA also provides quality control inspection services for non-certified seed crops and identity preserved (IP) grain produced by members.
OSIA may be responsible for certification of vegetable and ornamental seed produced and sold in Ohio. Testing of seed produced and marketed could be accomplished by other organizations. Because the standard assay for detection of important seed-borne bacterial diseases is only 50% effective at a threshold of one infected seed per 10,000 seeds tested, all licensees should include the seed quality-control process [described here} beginning at the second year of commercial production.
For clonally produced germplasm, there is an optional Certification program administered in Ohio by OSIA. Licensees should contact OSIA directly for information regarding this program. Alternately, maintenance of genetic identity and purity is the responsibility of the specific nurseries that accomplish post-release distribution and production through cooperative agreements with OSU-OARDC (i.e., the nurseries would agree to propagate and sell OSU-OARDC products for an established fee).
In addition, certification may involve screening for viruses, other diseases, or characters specific to a particular clonally produced crop. The nurseries are also responsible for ensuring that the specific tests are conducted and that the germplasm meets appropriate standards. More than one nursery may participate in propagation and marketing of clonally produced germplasm. Agreements with participating nurseries are negotiated by the OSU-OTL.
There is no state agency per se in Ohio responsible for distributing seed to farmers, breeders, growers, and others. Seed of a new variety of grain crop is released by the University plant breeder to Ohio Foundation Seeds, Inc. (OFS). OFS is a not-for-profit company responsible to OSU-OARDC, under a memorandum of understanding, for producing foundation seed and breeder seed.
Breeder seed grown by OFS is inspected and approved by the breeder for use in production of foundation generation seed. Subsequent generations (i.e., registered and certified class) are grown by seed producers who are members of the OSIA. Purity and quality standards are certified and enforced by OSIA. OFS is also responsible for producing and maintaining foundation seed of varieties released for branding or exclusively to one company. Seed of new public varieties developed by OSU-OARDC may be shared with foundation-seed-producing companies in other states under guidelines published by the directors of state agricultural experiment stations.
The Agricultural Genetics Research Association (AGRA) was established in 1985. The 1998 agreement between AGRA and OSU-OARDC states that grain crop varieties not recommended for public release by the CVRDC shall be considered for possible release to AGRA on a first-refusal basis, and AGRA shall have exclusive rights to reproduce and merchandise those varieties accepted. AGRA must accept or reject a variety within 60 days after the variety is offered. A royalty, which is negotiated on each variety, is to be paid to OSU for each unit of seed sold. All varieties are to be maintained by OFS.