Nadine Wilkins (202) 720-8998Nadine.Wilkins@ams.usda.gov
WASHINGTON, August 10, 2012 --The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that Beachner Seed Company, St. Paul, Kan., has paid $7,800 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act.
This settlement resolves nine cases that involved three shipments of a tall fescue/orchardgrass seed mixture from Missouri to Kentucky, two shipments of tall fescue seed from Missouri to Kentucky, two shipments of tall fescue seed from Kansas to Kentucky, one shipment of tall fescue seed from Kansas to Missouri, and one shipment of tall fescue seed from Kansas to Tennessee. The shipment from Kansas to Tennessee was subsequently reshipped to Kentucky. 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 germination percentage; and-false labeling as to the presence of noxious-weed 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 Kentucky and Missouri. The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.
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