MCIA-MDA Collaboration Upholds Quality Seed

Posted on January 17, 2025

MCIA and MDA personnel meet with staff members of Western Integrated Seed at Western’s operation in Cokato, Minnesota.

BY Fawad Shah, President/CEO

The Minnesota Crop Improvement Association plays a key role in enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability across the state of Minnesota. A cornerstone of this work is MCIA’s partnership with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Seed and Biotechnology Unit. This collaboration aims to ensure the availability of high-quality seed through seed certification; the use of high-quality seed is encouraged through educational and promotional activities.

MDA’s Seed and Biotechnology Unit is integral to maintaining and enhancing the quality of seed sold in Minnesota. By working closely with MCIA, MDA helps facilitate a comprehensive framework for seed certification, which guarantees that farmers have access to reliable, disease-free, and genetically diverse seeds. This is crucial not only for crop yield but also for the long-term health of Minnesota agriculture.

MCIA recently hosted a group of officials from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, including seed inspectors and seed lab staff, at Western Integrated Seed’s operation in Cokato. MCIA’s staff distributed educational materials and delivered talks regarding seed certification, seed testing, and foundation seed. This presentation was followed by an informal roundtable discussion to explore and explain various scenarios that can and do occur in the seed industry, and to answer questions about Plant Variety Protection (PVP) and species tested in our seed lab.

One of the chief results of this organizational collaboration is the development of new educational programs and resources that foster cooperation and information sharing in the seed space. Another significant outcome of MCIA-MDA collaboration is to strengthen the commitment to regulatory compliance and seed quality assurance. MDA’s regulatory framework, combined with MCIA’s certification processes, ensures that seed varieties distributed within the state meet stringent quality standards. This joint effort helps to maintain Minnesota’s reputation as a leader in agricultural innovation and productivity. By ensuring high-quality seed availability and enhancing educational outreach, this partnership not only benefits farmers but also contributes to the overall vitality of the state’s agricultural sector.

Palmer Amaranth Found in Polk County

Posted on May 26, 2021

Palmer amaranth has long flowering spikes that are spiny. The plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds in a short time frame. Seeds mature within 10-12 days after pollination. Photo: MDA.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has positively identified the invasive weed Palmer amaranth in Polk County. The confirmation came after the MDA inspected a field being used for the disposal of agricultural screenings.

The MDA collected a sample of the screenings material and determined by genetic testing that it was contaminated with Palmer amaranth seed. The field was scouted, and MDA staff found several dead Palmer amaranth plants on the field’s edge remaining from last year, suggesting the plants had grown and matured.

The landowner is working with the department to eradicate any of the weeds moving forward. At this time, the MDA believes the issue is isolated to only one field. The field and the surrounding area will be a priority for MDA field scouting this summer.

Since it was first discovered in the state in 2016, Palmer amaranth has been found in ten Minnesota counties, including Polk County. Most of the sites have been successfully eradicated and the remaining are being closely monitored.

In Minnesota, Palmer amaranth is listed as a noxious weed and a prohibited weed seed. This means no Palmer amaranth is allowed in any seed offered for sale in Minnesota.

Palmer amaranth is resistant to multiple herbicides, can cause substantial yield losses, and greatly increase weed management costs in soybeans and corn.

MDA’s full press release on this topic can be found online, here. Find more information about Palmer amaranth on the MDA’s website, here.

MCIA Annual Meeting Preview

Posted on December 18, 2020

Please plan to join us the morning of Wednesday, January 13, 2021, for MCIA’s 118th Annual Meeting. This year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held virtually, via Zoom. To keep our online time together to a manageable two hours, 9–11 a.m., we have organized a condensed, but informative, meeting program.

During the business meeting segment of the Annual Meeting, we will hear brief organizational and fiscal reports from officers of MCIA’s Board of Directors. We will also hold an election for open seats on the board.

Next, we will be joined by three seed industry experts. Each will give a 20-minute presentation. Andy LaVigne, President and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association, will discuss the state of the industry—highlighting the Covid-19 pandemic and changes in the political environment. Brent Turnipseed, Manager of the South Dakota State University Seed Lab and Assistant Department Head of Agronomy, Horticulture, & Plant Science at SDSU, will address common issues in seed testing. Denise Thiede will provide an update from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Denise is MDA’s Seed, Weed, Hemp, and Biotechnology Section Manager and an MCIA board member.

Invited speakers include Andy LaVigne, Brent Turnipseed, and Denise Thiede.

We will fill out the program with MCIA’s annual award presentations. Don’t miss this opportunity to recognize the contributions and achievements of your seed industry colleagues. We will announce the recipients of the Honorary Premier Seedsman, Premier Seedsman, and the Achievement in Crop Improvement awards.

To register for the meeting, click her e. To access meeting documents please visit our Annual Meeting page. If you have any questions about the meeting, please call us at 800-510-6242 or email mncia@mncia.org.

Don’t Plant Mystery Seeds—Send Them to MDA

Posted on August 3, 2020

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has been receiving reports of residents receiving unsolicited packages of seeds appearing to come from China. Officials in other states have reported similar situations. Anyone who has received a package of seeds they did not order should not plant the seeds. What to do? Minnesotans should contact MDA’s Arrest the Pest line at 1-888-545-6684 or arrest.the.pest@state.mn.us. Provide your name, contact information, and the date the package was received. Officials will coordinate shipping the packaging and contents to the MDA Seed Program. The MDA is working with the USDA’s Smuggling Interdiction and Trade Compliance Program on identification and destruction of the seeds. For more information on this topic, read the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s full press release.