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Know your wheat variety resourcesWith summer drawing down, many farmers' thoughts have turned to finding seed for the fall planting season. Aside from word of mouth and force of habit, there are many resources available to farmers that provide information on where to find seed and what varieties to choose from. The release of the 2007 Kansas Wheat Seed Book allows producers a county-by-county reference for the availability of 57 varieties of certified seed wheat. Copies of this book are available from county extension offices or from the Kansas Crop Improvement Association (call 785-532-6118 or e-mail kscrop@kansas.net). It is important to remember that in the majority of cases, wheat seed can be sold only as certified. The Plant Variety Protection Act prohibits most varieties from being sold without the quality assurance that certification provides. Daryl Strouts, executive director of the Kansas Crop Improvement Association, said that there are still a few varieties which may be sold farmer-to-farmer. Larned is one example. Because it is a public variety that was not issued a PVP certificate, it does not need to carry a certification label, although it should be tested and labeled in order to comply with Kansas Seed Law. Checking a variety's PVP status is simple. One available resource is the 2007 Kansas Wheat Seed Book, which provides a listing of the most popular varieties, along with their PVP status. However, some newly released varieties that are listed as unprotected are pending a PVP certificate and can become protected at any time. A more comprehensive resource is the Plant Variety Protection Office website (a link to this site may be found on the KCIA home page, www.kscrop.org). Any crop variety name can be run through the site's search engine to obtain details on that variety's status. If the variety is not recognized, then PVP protection has not been applied for. Some varieties released by private companies carry additional restrictions, so it is best to call KCIA or the company that owns the variety before offering it for sale. Also, varieties carrying the Clearfield trait are subject to patent regulations. To learn more about seed law compliance, visit the KCIA website at www.kscrop.org/seedlaw.aspx. Kansas Crop Improvement Association is the official seed certifying agency in the state of Kansas. KCIA is a non-profit organization that creates the opportunity for members to participate in integrity-based programs that provide superior seed and plant products by utilizing research, education, certification, and uniform standards that result in safe, stable, secure seedstock supply. Date: 8/23/07
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