1972 Identity and Purity Only

In 1972, the Illinois Crop Improvement Association board of directors voted to certify crops for “varietal purity and identity.” Seed must meet the standards that apply to varietal identity and varietal purity only. Mechanical standards such as germination, weed seed content, other crops, inert matter, etc. may be applied to selected crops or classes of seed with board approval. In other words, our tag certifies the varietal purity and identity of the seed. All other factors must appear on the label and are subject to regulatory action if found out of tolerance. Walter O. Scott supported the change by stating, “as conditioning equipment became more sophisticated and producers and conditioners more experienced the need for seed quality standards lessened.”