Certification of Blends or
Mixtures of Seed

Occasionally it may be desirable, whether from a seed marketing perspective or customer demand, to provide the buyer with a blend or mixture of certified seed comprised of two or more varieties. A blend is a controlled mixture of two or more varieties, each of which exceeds 5% of the total. AOSCA rules permit blending certified seed to create a certified blend but there are specific requirements to ensure the quality and identity of that product.

Registration of the Blends
Blends/mixtures must first be approved by the North Dakota State Seed Department to be accepted under this program. In order for blends to be labeled as certified the following information is required:

• name the blend as it will be marketed
• name and percentage of each component
• each component of a certified blend must be certified
• permission from variety owners of each component in the blends

Applicants must complete the form Registration of Blends or Mixtures of Seed and submit to the department for approval. If the blend includes a protected variety, permission must be obtained from the variety owner for use in a blend. Documented evidence must be provided with the registration form.

The formulation of the blend shall not vary by lot or year. The certified seed conditioner must also demonstrate the ability to blend the component varieties within specified tolerances.

Only Certified class seed of each of the component varieties may be used in a certified blend. Proof of certification must be provided to the department prior to blending. Proof may be a certified seed tag or bulk certificate.

Labeling
The certification label must specifically state “Blend” or “Mixture” and meet all other labeling requirements. The labeler has the option of stating the variety name of the components and proportions on the label.