N.D. Admin Code 74-03-01-09 - Field inspection

1. Applications. Applications for field inspection, accompanied by the correct fees, payment of past-due accounts, and proof of seed eligibility, must be received at the state seed department office in Fargo not later than June fifteenth. The penalty fee will apply after that date. Applications for grass seed must be received by May first to avoid late penalty. Applications for hemp must be received by June first to avoid late penalty. Applications for millet and buckwheat must be received by July fifteenth to avoid late penalty. Applications for soybeans requiring only a single inspection (preharvest) must be received by August first to avoid late penalty. In case of an emergency or unusual circumstances due to weather or crop conditions, the deadline may be extended at the discretion of the seed commissioner. In such an event, late application penalties may be waived.

2. Information required on application. The application shall be completed by the applicant and returned to the seed department. All questions must be answered completely and correctly. The location of the farm and field, including the legal description, shall be given clearly so that the inspector will be able to find the farm and field readily without waste of time and extra travel. Farm service agency field maps or equivalent must be provided by the applicant. If the seed is the grower's own seed, sufficient evidence must be provided to the department to verify eligibility. If the seed is purchased, an official certified seed tag or bulk certificates must accompany the application.

3. Roguing and spraying fields. Roguing is essential to maintain the purity of varieties and high standards of certified seed. Roguing fields prior to inspection is recommended to remove undesirable plants from fields. Plants that should be removed include off-type plants, other crop plants, prohibited and restricted noxious weeds, and other impurities which may be growing in the field.

Roguing is usually done by pulling off-types or other crop plants or weeds and removing them from the field. In the case of small grain, roguing should be done after heading as foreign plants are seen most easily at this time. In hybrid seed production, fertile off-types and undesirable plants should be removed before pollen is shed. Sterile off-types may be removed any time prior to the final inspection.

Whenever practical and advisable, seed fields should be sprayed with pesticides according to the manufacturer's label to control pests. Growers must follow posting requirements as specified by state and federal agencies responsible for the regulation and use of pesticides.

4. Weeds and diseases.

a. Prohibited noxious weeds under North Dakota seed laws and rules are leafy spurge, field bindweed (creeping jenny), Canada thistle, perennial sow thistle, Russian knapweed, hoary cress (perennial peppergrass), absinth wormwood, musk thistle, spotted knapweed, yellow starthistle, and Palmer amaranth.

b. Restricted noxious weeds under North Dakota seed laws and rules are dodder species, hedge bindweed (wild morning glory), wild oats, and quackgrass.

c. A field may be rejected if it is the field inspector's opinion that the amount and kind of weeds present make it difficult to conduct the inspection, or the field condition is such that the quality of the cleaned seed may be questionable.

d. Objectionable weed seeds are restricted noxious weeds under North Dakota seed laws and rules and may include some common weeds which cause a specific problem in the conditioning of some individual crops.

e. Diseases not governed by specific crop standards may be cause for rejection if it is the field inspector's opinion that the quality of the cleaned seed may be affected or if results of tests made on the seed indicate a disease condition which will affect the crop produced from such seed.

5. Cancellation of field inspection. An application may be canceled by the applicant before the field inspection is completed. The application fee minus an administrative fee will be refunded to the applicant. The request for cancellation, however, must reach the state seed department before the inspector arrives in the general locality of the field or before inspection has occurred. Refunds will not be made after the field is inspected or because the field has been rejected.

6. Appeal. Reinspection of rejected fields may be considered, provided the application for appeal allows a reasonable amount of time for reinspection prior to harvest. A fee for reinspection may be assessed.

7. The variety name stated on the application will be standard for inspection when entering the field. Absent compelling visual evidence to the contrary, the variety or selection declared by the applicant will be presumed correct if the documentation provided is valid.

Notes

N.D. Admin Code 74-03-01-09

Amended effective May 1, 1986; May 1, 1988; December 18, 1989;September 1, 2002; January 2, 2006; July 1, 2007; July 1, 2010; October 1, 2012. Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 369, July 2018, effective 7/1/2018. Amended by Administrative Rules Supplement 2022-385, July 2022, effective 7/1/2022.

General Authority: NDCC 4.1-52-10

Law Implemented: NDCC 4.1-53-37, 4.1-53-42, 4.1-53-59