Propagation

Field Notes

Posted on October 28, 2022

Soybean field. Photo © Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

By Kris Folland, Field Services Manager

As September begins, the Field Services staff has wrapped up the summer seed field inspections and is quickly preparing for soybean inspections. In the north end of the state, although we are done with field inspections, there is still a large acreage of small grains to be harvested.

For buyers and sellers alike, a later harvest may start to affect the quality of seed. We encourage seed growers to run air on grain that is put in the bin at a moisture above the 13.5 percent range. It is always a good idea to run some air on all grain immediately after harvest, and periodically thereafter. Cool it as the temperature lowers until the onset of winter. Wet grain does not store well and can quickly lose germination. Each year, the MCIA seed laboratory tests seed lots that do not meet certification standards for germination. To assess seed quality, you may want to get a preliminary germination test before conditioning your seed lots.

Do not lose track of the status of your seed or any grain in the bin. Small grains harvested later in the season may also lose visual color and test weight, making seed testing and communication between buyers and sellers especially important as both parties make plans for the 2023 crop year.

We conduct soybean inspections when fields have 75 percent leaf-drop or greater. Communication with your MCIA field supervisor is important! We will be contacting growers to do our part to ensure timely and accurate inspections. If you have any information you would like to share regarding your seed production fields or if you are getting close to harvest and have not received confirmation about the status of your field inspection, please give your field supervisor a call. We enjoy hearing from you. It helps us keep up with the maturity of the many seed fields across the state. There is still time to apply for soybean field inspections for all classes of seed from certified to field inspection only according to company standards.

As always, we sincerely wish you a safe and bountiful harvest.

Lab Report

Posted on October 28, 2022

Wheat seeds. Photo: David Hansen. © Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

By Chase Mowry, Seed Laboratory Manager

This past June, I attended the AOSA/SCST Annual Meeting, held in Skokie, Illinois. This annual joint meeting of the Association of Official Seed Analysts and the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists provides a great opportunity to connect with colleagues within the seed testing community and to discuss emerging technologies in the industry and issues analysts are encountering in their laboratories.

Throughout the four-day event, committees met to discuss various aspects of seed testing, such as research, cultivar purity, germination and dormancy, statistics, and vigor testing. In addition, board and business meetings for the individual organizations were held.

Attending the AOSA/SCST Annual Meeting also provides analysts (SCST) or laboratories (AOSA) the opportunity to vote on rule proposals, submitted by members, to modify the AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds. Analysts follow these rules when conducting domestic testing. The proposals address such issues as adding germination or purity testing requirements for new species, modifying existing testing methods, classifying contaminants, reporting test results, or simply clarifying current rules.

This year, there were nineteen rule proposals: fourteen passed, four failed, and one was withdrawn. Of those that passed, several included adding germination testing methods for new species, species classifications, the addition or modification of common names of a few species, and the addition of Apiaceae seedling illustrations to aid in germination evaluation.

For detailed information on the AOSA/SCST Annual Meeting proceedings, including individual committee reports and rule proposals, visit the AOSA/SCST website: analyzeseeds.com.

President’s Corner

Posted on October 28, 2022

UMN wheat variety plots. Photo: David Hansen. © Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

By Fawad Shah, President/CEO

Research to develop or improve crop varieties is a crucial component of agricultural productivity, food security, and economic vitality. The public-private partnership in agricultural research has led the way in making it possible to rely on a stable, abundant, and affordable food supply, not only in the domestic market but also in foreign markets that rely on the import of American commodities.

The United States has been, and should remain, the leader in innovative agricultural research. However, public funding for such research has greatly decreased over the years. As a result, public institutions like the University of Minnesota have adopted innovative ways to generate funding to support ongoing agricultural research. One such way is to generate funds through variety development fees.

The University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES) has a rich history of having a strong variety development program. In February 1993, the MAES established the Variety Development Fund, commonly known as VDF, to provide financial support for agronomic crop variety development. The VDF is generated through a fee that is collected as part of the sale of registered and certified seed of all agronomic crop varieties developed and protected by MAES under the US Plant Variety Protection Act. The Minnesota Crop Improvement Association, the sole seed certifying agency for Minnesota, is charged with seed certification and collects VDF fees, as established by MAES.

Proceeds from the Variety Development Fund are used to support variety development research as well as related outreach and education. The MAES formalized a process for University of Minnesota researchers to apply for funding from the VDF for support of variety development and related activities, and for investment in potentially new crop species. The Variety Development Fund can be used for equipment purchase as well, with a minimum of 25 percent matching funds from other sources.

Nearly 30 years after establishing the Variety Development Fund fee structure, the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station recently reviewed and increased its fees. Effective July 1, 2022, the VDF fee will increase to $0.75 per bushel for all registered and certified seed sold of wheat varieties (both old and new) released by the MAES. The seed of these varieties sold on or after July 1, 2022, will be assessed at the new $0.75 per bushel rate.

Minnesota Crop Improvement Association informed growers about this fee increase and posted this announcement on our website in May. The new fee will be applicable to all University of Minnesota wheat varieties, including Bolles, Lang-MN, Linkert, MN-Rothsay, MN-Torgy, MN-Washburn, and Shelly. Seed grower support of the Variety Development Fund will continue to be an important part of the research to develop and improve crop varieties.

Shauna Ilse Joins Organic Services Staff

Posted on October 28, 2022

Shauna Ilse joined MCIA on August 1, filling the organic specialist/inspector position formerly held by Cherry Flowers, who recently retired.

While serving in the U.S. Army, Shauna developed an interest in food and agriculture. She pursued that field of study at Washington State University, where she earned a B.A. in agriculture and food sciences, majoring in organic and sustainable agriculture. As a student, she worked at the university’s 10-acre organic farm and, in her senior year, interned as a farm assistant at a small, nearby organic farm.

Since last June, Shauna had been working as garden assistant at Grow-to-Share Community Garden in River Falls, Wisconsin.

To learn more about MCIA Organic Services, click here.

Chairman’s View

Posted on October 28, 2022

By Brad Barth, MCIA Board Chair

Hello, I hope this writing finds all of you at the tail end of a fantastic crop year. Some quick facts I would like to share with you about Minnesota: Minnesota comprises just short of 87,000 square miles; it totals to 2.25 percent of the land in the United States and is the nation’s 12th largest state. Given the size of our state, one can see why our agriculture system
is widely varied.

Although every agriculture professional in our state has a little different situation and none are the same, there is one constant of the same importance for all—safety. My father lived the last half of his life with only nine fingers, and I lost the vision in one of my eyes for many years due to a nail flying into it. We all know someone, whether it be a relative or a neighbor, who has been injured in a farming accident.

Although these incidences are terrible, we find ourselves looking at the situation and thinking, “It seems like that could have been avoided.” Both accidents in my family would have been avoided if we had the safety protocols in place then that we have now. Simple things like, when climbing something make sure three of your four appendages are gripping something and only move one at a time, (my dad would have had ten fingers to use if he had followed this simple procedure). Wear your safety glasses, period. My situation was totally avoidable and if you come to my farm now you will find safety glasses everywhere.

Please review your safety protocols to make sure they are up to date and train all family members and employees accordingly. Just a simple thing like wearing safety glasses could save you from postponing your wedding, three surgeries, thousands of dollars spent on specialty eyewear, and a phobia of pointy things near your face.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Shauna Ilse, who was recently hired by MCIA’s Organic Services department: I am sure you will find working with the members and staff of MCIA to be rewarding!

I hope that 2022 has been good to MCIA’s members and will continue to be safe and prosperous for all.

Field Inspection Reminders

Posted on September 19, 2022

Field Services clients: Be sure to contact your MCIA field supervisor if you are unsure that MCIA has inspected a field or if you have a field ready for harvest that MCIA has not yet inspected.

If your field supervisor is not available to speak with you, please leave them a detailed message. Include your name, phone number, the field in question, and the proposed date of harvest.

Your call will be returned as soon as possible!

FIELD SUPERVISORS

Kris Folland: 218-791-2156, kris.folland@mncia.org

Seth Dagoberg: 218-556-3170, seth.dagoberg@mncia.org

Keith Marti: 507-227-2226, keith.marti@mncia.org

Dan Krenz: 507-220-7942, dan.krenz@mncia.org

Seed Laboratory Reminders

Posted on September 19, 2022

As we begin a new testing season, here are some important reminders to Seed Laboratory clients:

Your sample must be representative of your seed lot. The test results we obtain are a direct reflection of the sample that you provide.
Storing your sample prior to submission: Keep samples in a closed container in a clean, dry location, away from excessive heat.
Shipping samples: Package your sample properly to minimize damage and to prevent spillage during transit.
Include a completed Sampling Report and other relevant documentation for each sample you submit. Missing information may cause delays in MCIA’s ability to perform testing and provide final certification.

If you have any questions, please contact Seed Laboratory Manager, Chase Mowry, at chase.mowry@mncia.org.

Selling Seed Out-of-State?

Are you selling your seed into another state? If so, an All State Noxious Exam is needed. You can request the All State Noxious test on the Sampling Report when you submit your sample.

If you have further questions, please contact the MCIA Seed Laboratory or your field supervisor.

Call for Award Nominations

Posted on September 19, 2022

We encourage members to submit nominations for MCIA’s annual Honorary Premier Seed Grower, Premier Seed Grower, and Achievement in Crop Improvement awards, which will be presented at the MCIA Annual Meeting, January 12, 2023.

If you know a producer, seed conditioner, or supporter of MCIA deserving of recognition for their service to the seed industry, involvement in MCIA, and contributions to their community, or if you have questions about nomination requirements, please contact Roger Wippler at 1-800-510-6242 or by e-mail at wippl002@umn.edu.

Organic Cost Share Application Period Opens

Posted on September 19, 2022

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Organic Certification Cost-Share Program (OCCSP) is again offering rebates for certification expenses to eligible organic producers and handlers. Both the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) county offices in Minnesota will accept cost share applications and make payments to eligible certified operations.

Minnesota organic farmers and processors can apply for a rebate of up to 50 percent of the cost of their organic certification. The MDA is accepting applications for the Minnesota Organic Certification Cost Share Program from now until November 1, 2022.

Organic certification is a third-party verification system. It assures consumers the organic products they buy are produced in accordance with federal organic regulations. Organic operations must follow National Organic Standards and are monitored through review of their records and on-site inspections at least once a year.

“The yearly cost of certification can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars,” MDA’s Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey said. “This program provides some relief and goes a long way to make organic certification more affordable.”

Funds for the cost share program are available first-come, first-served and come from a cooperative agreement with the FSA.

Operations that received certification (or had ongoing certification) between October 1, 2021 and September 30, 2022 are eligible for reimbursement of up to 50 percent of certification-related expenses, with a maximum of $500 per category (crop, livestock, processing/handling, wild harvest). MDA also offers a similar cost share program for transitioning a farm to organic.

To qualify, applicants must be certified organic by a United States Department of Agriculture-accredited certifying agency, such as Minnesota Crop Improvement Association. New this year will be an online application process. Certified organic farmers or processors can obtain all the program details and necessary materials on the MDA’s website or by calling 651-201-6134. Applicants who do not wish to apply with MDA may apply through their local FSA office.

Additional funding for up to 25 percent of allowable certification costs is available through FSA. That application deadline is October 31, 2022.

Seeking Board Candidates

Posted on September 19, 2022

board of directors map — MCIA Board Districts

Minnesota Crop Improvement Association is seeking candidates for 5 positions on its 11-member Board of Directors. (For your reference, please see the accompanying MCIA Board Districts map.)

The following seats are open: Directors for Districts 1, 2, and 3, and directors for two Related Industry positions. The District 1 seat is currently held by Brent Benike, who is eligible for re-election. The District 2 seat is held by Darius Thiel, who is not eligible for re-election. In District 3, Jason Larsen is unable to complete his three-year term. The person elected will complete the final two years of this term. One Related Industry seat is currently held by Matt Bohn, who is not eligible for re-election. The other Related Industry seat is held by Grant Mehring, who is eligible for re-election.

These positions are Category A Directors, who are elected by and from the members of MCIA at its Annual Meeting to serve three-year terms. The Board of Directors is the Association’s policy-making body. It is required to hold at least two regular meetings per calendar year in addition to the Annual Meeting. MCIA’s 2023 Annual Meeting will be held January 12, 2023.

If you are interested in serving on the MCIA Board of Directors or you would like to nominate someone to serve, please contact MCIA President/CEO Fawad Shah at 1-800-510-6242 or by e-mail at fawad.shah@mncia.org.