GOVERNMENT SEED

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6558, 27 August 1948, Page 5

GOVERNMENT SEED

QUESTION OF CERTIFICATION ALLEGED TO BE MISLEADING Deceptive features of the Government practice of certifying ryegrass and clover pasture seed was pointed out by a New Plymouth seed merchant in a letter received at a meeting of the North Taranaki executive of the Federated Farmers at New Plymouth. Germination percentages, he pointed out, were not covered by Government certification. The executive had expressed some concern at the sale of seeds for which there was no Government certification, stated the letter. This would imply that where seed was Govern-ment-certified it was hall-marked. This was an erroneous surmise and a pitfall to the unwary. A broker’s seed price list quoted Government-certified permanent pasture ryegrass at as low as 20 per cent, germination, at a price of 2s 6d a bushel. This seed no doubt had a reasonable germination test when certified, which might have been several years ago, and had gradually deteriorated through age and faulty storage until it was down to this low germination figure. • Purity and Germination

It could be readily understood why some establishments advertised a seed mixture containing certified ryegrass at a low price, but made no mention of the purity or germination, the letter added. This also applied to all clover seeds, which could be bought at a germination as low as 30 per cent, under Government certification.

Again, he had a Government certificate for a line of Hawke’s Bay mother ryegrass, the certification for which was 99 per cent, germination, 99.8 purity. This was the class of seed sold by all reputable merchants in the province. When the farmer went to the expense of laying down a permanent pasture he was entitled to the best tested seed available. The farmer was prepared to pay for it, and he received it.

He suggested that the executive inquire of the seed testing department of Massey Agricultural College why it allowed its certification to be attached to seed showing a germination of 30 per cent and less, a practice very misleading to the farmer. The executive could also suggest that where certified seed deteriorated below 80 per cent, the certification tags attached to the sacks should be removed by the seller under penalty, the seed reverting to uncertified seed and being sold as such. The executive decided to send copies of this and other letters on the subject to the branches for comment.