Washington, DC
July 27, 2009

AMS No. 142-09

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today announced that Western Hybrid Seeds Inc., a seed company operating out of Hamilton City, California, has paid $1,225 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act. The company settled the case in agreement with AMS officials. The company neither admitted nor denied the charges brought against them.

This settlement resolves a case which involved 3 shipments of watermelon seeds to Oregon and Pennsylvania. All shipments were subsequently shipped into North Carolina where they were officially tested. The alleged violations were as follows:

• false labeling of variety names; and
• failure to keep required records including those establishing the seed variety name.

The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.

Website: http://www.ams.usda.gov

Published: July 27, 2009