AMS No. 213-09

Sam Jones (202) 720-8998

Billy Cox (202) 720-8998

WASHINGTON, October 30, 2009 --The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced that Bennett Seed, a seed company operating out of Jennings, Fla., has paid $1,575 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 a case which involved a total of three shipments to Georgia, one of browntop millet, one of cowpeas, and one of proso millet. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:

-false labeling as to pure seed and inert matter;

-false labeling as to the presence of noxious-weed seed;

-failure to label seed as a mixture; and

-failure to test for germination within five months prior to interstate shipment.

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.