Federal Seed Act

The Federal Seed Act, P.L. 76-354 (August 9, 1939), requires accurate labeling and purity standards for seeds in commerce, and prohibits the importation and movement of adulterated or misbranded seeds. The law works in conjunction with the Plant Protection Act of 2000 to authorize the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to regulate the importation of field crop, pasture and forage, or vegetable seed that may contain noxious weed seeds. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service is responsible for enforcing the labeling and purity standard provisions.

Federal Seed Act

Long title	An Act to regulate interstate and foreign commerce in seeds; to require labeling and to prevent misrepresentation of seeds in interstate commerce; to require certain standards with respect to certain imported seeds; and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial)	FSA
Nicknames	Federal Seed Act of 1939
Enacted by	the 76th United States Congress
Effective	February 4, 1940
Citations
Public law	Pub.L. 76–354
Statutes at Large	53 Stat. 1275
Codification
Titles amended	7 U.S.C.: Agriculture
U.S.C. sections created	7 U.S.C. ch. 37 § 1551 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 5625 by Harry B. Coffee (D-NE) on May 3, 1939 Committee consideration by House Agriculture, Senate Agriculture & Forestry Passed the House on June 7, 1939 (Passed) Passed the Senate on August 1, 1939 (Passed) with amendment House agreed to Senate amendment on August 3, 1939 (Agreed) Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 9, 1939

Titles of the Act

Title 7 Chapter 37 was authored as four titles establishing agricultural policy for the specifications of forage and vegetable seeds.

Title I - Definitions - 7 U.S.C. §§ 1561-1562

Construction with respect to labeling for variety and origin

Agricultural seeds

Vegetable seeds

Weed seeds

Noxious weed seeds

Origin, kind, variety, and type of seeds

Germination

Hard seeds

Pure live seed

Label and labeling of seeds

Advertisement

Subject to prescribed tolerances

False labeling and false advertisement

Screenings

In bulk

Title II - Interstate Commerce - 7 U.S.C. §§ 1571-1575

Prohibitions Relating to Interstate Commerce in Certain Seeds

Records

Exemptions

Disclaimers and Nonwarranties

False Advertising

Title III - Foreign Commerce - 7 U.S.C. §§ 1581-1586

Prohibitions and Procedures Relating to Importations

Adulterated Seed

Seed Unfit for Seeding Purposes

Certain Seeds Required to be Stained

Certain Acts Prohibited

Title IV - General Provisions - 7 U.S.C. §§ 1591-1610

Delegation of Duties

Rules and Regulations

Standards, Tests, and Tolerances

Prohibition Against Alterations

Seizure

Penalties

Cease and Desist Proceedings

Separability of Proceedings

Publication

Authorization for Appropriations

Authorization for Expenditures

Cooperation

Separability of Provisions

Repeals

Effective Date

Amendments to 1939 Act

U.S. Congressional amendments to the Federal Seed Act.

Date of Enactment	Public Law Number	U.S. Statute Citation	U.S. Legislative Bill	U.S. Presidential Administration
July 9, 1956	P.L. 84-662	70 Stat. 508	S. 1688	Dwight D. Eisenhower
August 1, 1958	P.L. 85-581	72 Stat. 476	S. 1939	Dwight D. Eisenhower
October 15, 1966	P.L. 89-686	80 Stat. 975	H.R. 15662	Lyndon B. Johnson
October 17, 1969	P.L. 91-89	83 Stat. 134	S. 1836	Richard M. Nixon
January 8, 1983	P.L. 97-439	96 Stat. 2287	H.R. 7005	Ronald W. Reagan

See also

• Plant Disease Bulletin
• Seed bank

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Congressional Research Service document: Jasper Womach. "Report for Congress: Agriculture: A Glossary of Terms, Programs, and Laws, 2005 Edition" (PDF).

External links

• "Federal Seed Act". Agricultural Marketing Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• "Bureau of Plant Industry Bulletin - 1901-1913". HathiTrust Digital Library. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture.
• "Inventory of Seeds and Plants Imported". HathiTrust Digital Library. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture.
• Plant Disease Survey. "The Plant Disease Bulletin". HathiTrust Digital Library. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture.
• Plant Disease Survey. "The Plant Disease Bulletin - Supplement". HathiTrust Digital Library. Beltsville, MD: United States Department of Agriculture.