The purpose of this consultation is to seek views from individuals and companies including Professional Operators (seed merchants, seed processors, seed packers), Licensed Crop Inspectors, Licensed Seed Samplers, Licensed Seed Testing Stations (LSTS), farmers and interested members of the public on the Scottish Government's proposal to:
We expect this to be of interest to individuals and companies including:
We are inviting responses to this consultation by Tues 23/01/2024.
Organic: any plant reproductive material to be marketed should have been produced using methods that comply with the relevant organic regulations.
Heterogeneous; plant material (i.e. a seed lot or growing crop) that displays diverse or dissimilar characteristics within a set population.
The diversity seen within a heterogeneous population is different to that seen in a seed mix. Seed mixes are a mixture of already certified single varieties, whereas heterogeneous material should be the result of specific production techniques (which will be set out in legislation).
Currently, OHM cannot be legally marketed in Scotland as the marketing regulations have a requirement for homogeneity of seed lots. To demonstrate homogeneity, a varietal purity test is carried out by the Official Seed Testing Station for Scotland (OSTS) or a licenced seed testing station (LSTS).
Seed being marketed in GB should also be on the GB variety list, as set out in the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 2001; a requirement of which is for varieties to be identified as distinct, uniform, and stable (DUS) by means of official trials. OHM cannot be assessed as uniform or stable under current methods and therefore could not be added to a variety list.
Recognising the divergence from established marketing requirements a number of conditions are likely to be proposed, with which OHM must comply. These are:
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