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Certified Hemp Seed Or Clone

Hemp Seeds

 

Certified Hemp Seed or Clone means Cannabis sativa L. seed or clone certified by a Seed Certification Agency pursuant to the Federal Seed Act, 7 CFR §201.67 et. Seq. and the Colorado Seed Act, 35-27-103, C.R.S.

Hemp Seed Certification requires a four-step process:

  1. Establish eligibility for Certification with application for Variety Review and acceptance with AOSCA*.
  2. Eligible Varieties (established in #1 above) are produced by CSGA* members in accordance with national AOSCA or approved Certifying agency standards.
  3. CDA will verify THC compliance in the field during the seed-increase stage while being produced under the purview of a CSGA member.
  4. Individual seed packages are tagged with an official Seed Certification label provided by CSGA.

*CSGA=Colorado Seed Growers Association

*AOSCA=Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies

 

 

Establishing that a hemp variety is unique, stable, and uniform is the first step on the road to Certifying Seed or Clone.

Please visit https://www.aosca.org/hemp/  to apply for variety review.

The AOSCA Variety Review Board will determine:

  1. Legal ownership of the variety submitted (does the applicant have legal rights to the genetic intellectual property represented by the submission).
  2. If the variety has been improved over time to be unique, stable and uniform (this may take several years of plant breeding research and development).

Once a variety has been approved by AOSCA Variety Review Board, the variety is eligible for Certification. The variety is now eligible to move on to Step 2, growing the seed or clone under the purview of the Colorado Seed Growers Association.

Once a hemp seed or clone variety is eligible for Certification, please contact the CSGA


Fill out the CSGA Field application


During the field production stage

  1. CSGA representatives will inspect the hemp field for seed borne diseases, noxious weeds, and they will evaluate for varietal uniformity, purity, and other traits described during the Varietal Review stage. 
  2. CDA will test the crop for THC compliance

There are two categories: Open-Source Seed (i.e., any seed that is not Certified Seed) and Certified Hemp Seed and Clones.
Colorado DOES NOT mandate the use of Certified Hemp Seed or Certified Hemp Clones.
A grower may use any seed source they choose; however, it is recommended that when buying Open-Source Seed that the appropriate due diligence is conducted. Do some research and use a trusted source.

All seed distributed and sold must be labeled. Those responsible for bagging and labeling (tagging) the seed are required to register as a Seed Labeler. Retail Seed Dealers must also register if seed is sold in quantities larger than 1 pound.

CDA does not sell or supply seed.
All hemp fields, regardless of source of seed or clones, will be subject to inspection and sampling to verify THC levels.

OPEN-SOURCE SEED (i.e., any seed not Certified Seed)

Note: Open-source seed that exists in Colorado may be variable and have unknown THC levels.

To Acquire Open-Source Seed
For a list of licensed hemp seed labelers for open-source seed and to see if a seed dealer is registered, the public can search for all seed dealers in AgLicense at https://www.ag.state.co.us/eLicense/SecurityLogin.aspx

The Seed Labeler program does not collect what seed types are being sold by each labeler, so the list will not tell you what type of seed the seed dealer sells. You will need to contact the seed dealer directly.

To Register as a Seed Labeler
To sell your seed legally you will need to contact the Seed Program directly at https://ag.colorado.gov/plants/seed and acquire a Seed Labeler license. Follow the link, or call the Seed Program directly to speak with Brian Allen, 303-869-9071.

CERTIFIED HEMP SEED OR CLONE

Certified Hemp Seed or Clone means that the seeds and clones have gone through the four step certification process.
Certified Seed will be labeled with an official label issued by the Colorado Seed Growers Association (CSGA) or the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA).
This four step certification process includes determining the ownership of the variety and having your seed or clone grown under the purview of CSGA.
Only seed packages with Certified Seed tags are recognized as Certified Seed.

To Certify Your Seed or Clone
If you would like more information on what is required to certify hemp seeds or clones, and what the four step certification process entails, please see the Certified Hemp Seed or Clone.

To Acquire Certified Seed or Clone
You will need to contact the seed producers on the Colorado Hemp Varieties Eligible for Certification list found at Certified Hemp Seed or Clone. 
Certified Seed and Certified Clone are available in limited quantities. You will need to check with the seed dealer (the company selling the seed) for seed availability, varietal use, and performance.

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