There are always many unknowns in farming, but growing certified seed breeds confidence.
With every passing harvest, farm-saved seed may contain greater volumes of weed seeds and other contaminants.
hen you purchase certified seed, you can be certain of the quality and varietal purity of your crop.
“A good crop starts with good seed,” said John Hildebrand, Bulk Seed Merchant with Federated Co-operatives Limited, who keeps Co-op Agro Centres across Western Canada supplied with new crop varieties from leading seed companies like Syngenta, SeCan, FP Genetics and Canterra Seeds.
“Many of the certified seed varieties at Co-op Agro Centres reflect the new traits that are coming to market, including improved yield and standability.”
What’s in a name?
Western Canadian seed growers produce certified seed under strict regulations. This rigorous production process, which includes independent inspections, ensures the latest crop innovations arrive on commercial farms as intended.
When you see a blue ‘Certified’ tag, you know the seed is free of weeds and other impurities and has met requirements for varietal purity and germination. With this quality assurance, you know what can be expected once the seed is in the ground.
“The only way to ensure the varietal purity of the seed is to purchase certified seed,” said Caroline Lafontaine of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association. “You can trace the production of the seed right back to the first multiplication of where that seed was produced.”
Local insights
Your local Co-op Grow Team member can help you select the certified seed that’s right for your farm and rotation.
“Certified seed pays for itself,” said Hildebrand. “We’re also able to provide growers with access to certified seed that doesn’t necessarily come from local seed growers, but may work well in their area.”
Grown with PurposeTM
Using certified seed is among the best management practices you may consider when developing a custom plan as part of Grown with Purpose.
“Certification ensures clean seed and quality genetics, starting your field off with the best,” said Hildebrand.
Grow Team members can help you select certified seed varieties and inputs in order to reduce spending and maximize crop yields. To learn more, speak with your local Grow Team m