Growing certified seed is a way of being in a "value-added" market while perfecting skills that also serve you as a crop grower, says Ron Larson, the manager of the Montana Seed Growers Association (MSGA).

According to Larson, "It is a value-added component of agriculture that offers the opportunity for additional income as well as providing a valuable, genetically pure product for commercial growers and consumers."

Bob Hodgskiss, one of six directors of the Montana Seed Growers Association and a producer and seed dealer himself, says "Certified seed isn't perfect, but it's the next best thing you can get to it." Hodgskiss, of Choteau, says he believes in certified seed because even though it costs more, growers may be able to reduce inputs because of the crop seeds genetic and physical purity and lack of weed seeds.

There are three main steps in growing certified seed, following the guidelines of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies, an international organization:

• The application process, which determines whether a prospective grower's previous cropping history is acceptable for growing a seed crop.
• The field inspection, which determines whether or not a field meets the field standards of the MSGA. It also verifies that the field is free of contaminants and noxious weed seed that cannot be separated from certifiable seed by cleaning.
• The laboratory analysis, which occurs after the seed has been cleaned by a certified cleaning plant. This verifies compliance with MSGA standards that limit other crop seed, inert matter and weed seed.

The MSGA designates four classes of seed breeder, foundation, registered and certified classes. Breeder seed is the first generation recognized and is under the control of the breeder or originator. Foundation seed, designated by a white tag, is produced from the breeders' class and is the first generation released to growers. Registered seed is the second generation and is identified by a purple tag. Certified class seed, the final generation of seed produced under this system, is usually the progeny of registered seed. It is identified by a blue tag. Registered and certified seed may be sold in bulk with an official MSGA Bulk Sales Certificate.

Though located at Montana State University, the program is self-supporting.

There are fees to become certified to grow and sell this special seed.

There is a $30 annual application fee, acreage fees of $1.50 per acre on non-hybrid crops, and production fees ranging from half a cent per pound for perennial crops to 5 cents per bushel for wheat and 8 cents per hundredweight for barley and oats.

However, even with those fees Larson says that producing certified seed has the potential to earn a grower higher net returns than commercial grain production if MSGA requirements are met.

"Some 60-70 percent of our program involves small grains," says Larson.

That includes both public and private varieties. Certified seed handled through MSGA includes grass seed, most legumes, safflower, canola, barley, oats, buckwheat, wheat and flax.

There are about 275 certified seed growers in Montana and demand for seed sometimes is greater than the seed supply. Growers of certified small grain seed are distributed throughout Montana. Alfalfa seed producers are most numerous in the Yellowstone valley.

Since 1936, directors have been Ralph Mercer, Arthur Shaw, Howard Bowman and Larson. The MSGA Headquarters are located in Leon Johnson Hall at MSU, and include staff members Katie Cash (MSGA Secretary-Treasurer) and Chellese Hart.

Individuals with questions concerning Seed Certification can contact Larson at (406) 994-5121 or rlarson@montana.edu, or the producer-directors of MSGA, who in 2002 are: Patrick Lake of Polson, Ross Grubb of Bozeman,

Gordon Gruel of Joliet, Jim Kulish of Stanford, Bob Hodgskiss of Choteau and Bear Whitmer of Bloomfield. There is more information on the MSGA web site at: http://www.ag.montana.edu/msga/