Small Grains Certification Standards
Certified crops include barley, durum wheat, rye, triticale, and wheat.
Program Information
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Certified Crops | Barley, Durum Wheat, Rye, Triticale, Wheat |
| Certification Classes | Foundation, Registered, Certified |
| Application Deadline | April 1 |
| Required Inspections | Foundation – 3 • Registered – 2 • Certified – 1 |
| Unit of Certification | Individual field |
Seed Eligibility
- Only seed approved by ACIA as eligible for certification may be planted for certified seed production.
- Seed must maintain documented varietal identity throughout the certification process.
Land Requirements
- Fields must satisfy ACIA land history requirements before becoming eligible for certification.
- Previous cropping history, volunteer small grains, and inseparable crop species are considered during eligibility review.
Field Inspections
- Foundation: Heading; Soft to Medium Dough; Heads Beginning to Change Color.
- Registered: Heading through Anthesis; Heads Beginning to Change Color.
- Certified: Heads Beginning to Change Color.
Isolation Requirements
Isolation is required to prevent varietal mixtures and mechanical contamination.
| Crop / Situation | Isolation Requirement |
|---|---|
| Hulled barley, durum, oat, triticale and wheat | 10 feet from other varieties of the same kind |
| Inseparable crop kinds or same variety planted with non-certified seed | Adequate distance to prevent mechanical mixing |
| Hulless waxy barley – Foundation | 1,320 feet from hulled barley |
| Hulless waxy barley – Registered / Certified | 660 feet from hulled barley |
| Rye – same chromosome number | 660 feet from other varieties or non-certifiable fields |
| Rye – diploid vs. tetraploid | 15 feet |
Field Standards
| Field Factor | Foundation | Registered | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other varieties and off-types of same kind | 1:25,000 | 1:5,000 | 1:3,000 |
| Inseparable other crop kinds including small grains | 1:25,000 | 1:4,000 | 1:2,500 |
| Inseparable objectionable weeds (wild oat) | None | None | None |
| Chemically controllable seed-borne diseases | 1:10,000 | 1:5,000 | 1:2,500 |
Seed Standards
| Seed Factor | Foundation | Registered | Certified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure seed minimum | 98.00% | 99.00% | 99.00% |
| Inert matter maximum | 2.00% | 1.00% | 1.00% |
| Noxious weed seeds | None | None | None |
| Other weed seeds maximum | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.02% |
| Other varieties/off-types maximum | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| Other crop kinds maximum | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Germination – Durum minimum | 85% | 85% | 85% |
| Germination – all other kinds minimum | 90% | 90% | 90% |
Required Forms
Use the crop application first. Submit tag orders, blending reports, or supporting forms only when they apply.