The Journey to Seed Certification and Marketing

What happens:
Only varieties on the Great Britain (GB) or Northern Ireland (NI) Variety List can be certified and marketed.

AIC’s role:
Provides guidance on listing requirements and updates members on changes to regulations.

BSPB’s role:
Coordinates with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) andNational Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) on national listing and variety registration trials (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) iand value for cultivation or use (VCU)).
Represents breeders to ensure fair and science-based assessment.

Before a new crop variety can be certified and sold as seed in the UK, it must go through official tests to make sure it’s distinct, reliable, and worth growing. These tests are called Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability (DUS) and value for cultivation or use (VCU).

DUS – Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability

This test checks that the new variety is:

• Distinct – clearly different from all other varieties already on the market (for example, in grain colour, plant height, or flowering time).

• Uniform – plants of the same variety all look and perform the same way.

• Stable – it stays true to type year after year when reproduced.

DUS testing proves the variety is genuinely new and consistent.

VCU – Value for Cultivation and Use

This test assesses whether the new variety offers a real benefit to growers or users. It looks at things like:

• Yield and quality (e.g. grain weight, oil content, protein)

• Resistance to pests and diseases

• Agronomic features such as standing ability or maturity

• End-use suitability (e.g. breadmaking, feed, or malting quality)

VCU testing proves the variety performs well and adds value on farm or in the market.

DUS and VCU testing ensure that only varieties that are genuinely distinct, true to type, and agronomically valuable are added to the UK National List and can enter the certified seed system.

What happens:
Businesses must be licensed by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to market or certify seed.

AIC’s role:
Represents seed businesses in discussions with APHA and Defra to ensure fair, practical licensing rules.
Advocates for policies that reduce administrative burden on seed companies.

What happens:
Certified seed production must start from officially certified pre-basic or basic seed to preserve varietal integrity.

AIC’s role:
Advises Members on maintaining traceability through the supply chain.

BSPB’s role:
Ensures breeders maintain the genetic purity of pre-basic and basic seed stocks.

What happens:
Growers must notify NIAB of intended seed crop production.

AIC’s role:
Provides technical advice and updates on crop entry procedures.
Lobbies for streamlined systems and fair crop entry fees.
Collates Member feedback for consultations and certification improvements.

What happens:
Each seed crop receives a unique Seed Crop Identity Number for full traceability.

AIC’s role:
Promotes consistent and practical traceability systems across the supply chain.

BSPB’s role:
Links seed identity to variety registration, trait tracking, and intellectual property.
Supports royalty management systems based on certified identity.

What happens:
Breeders and BSPB/Breeders' Intellectual Property Office (BIPO) publish royalty rates for certified varieties.

BSPB’s role:
Publishes royalty rates early to support commercial planning.
Manages royalty collection and disbursement for cereals, potatoes, oilseeds, and pulses.

What happens:
Seed production is typically based on AIC standard contracts.

AIC’s role:
Provides and maintains the industry-standard cereal seed production contract.
Ensures contracts reflect current legal, technical, and agronomic best practice.

What happens:
All seed crops are officially inspected by APHA (Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture in Scotland) or licensed inspectors.

AIC’s role:
Successfully lobbied Defra to allow licensed inspectors to inspect pre-basic and basic crops, reducing costs and delays.
Supports training and recognition of licensed inspectors.

What happens:
Inspectors confirm whether the crop meets certification standards and approve its entry level. Successful crops achieve field certification, enabling domestic sale or export.

AIC’s role:
Provides advice on interpreting inspection results and next steps for re-inspection or regrading.
Works with APHA to clarify inspection guidance.

What happens:
NIAB grows control plots to confirm varietal identity.

AIC’s role:
Advocates for robust but proportionate varietal testing.
Engages with Defra and NIAB to ensure science-based, efficient testing protocols.

BSPB’s role:
Manages official VCU testing for cereals, herbage, oilseed rape, maize, sugar beet, peas, beans, rye, triticale, linseed, and other crops.
Coordinates with over 35 trial operator companies, running extensive trials for UK and international breeders.
Contributes to Recommended and Descriptive Lists for key crop groups.

What happens:
After harvest, seed is cleaned and processed under certified standards.

AIC’s role:
Provides technical guidance on processing standards.
Promotes investment in modern seed processing and handling technology.

What happens:
Certified seed samples are tested for germination, purity, and disease by officially licensed laboratories under the supervision of NIAB (England & Wales) or SASA (Scotland). These tests confirm that the seed meets the strict standards for certification.

AIC’s role:
Works with NIAB, SASA, and Defra to ensure testing procedures remain consistent, reliable, and practical for the industry.
Supports recognition of qualified private testing stations where appropriate.

BSPB’s role:
Engages with regulators to ensure testing and certification systems uphold varietal integrity and breeders’ rights.
Represents breeders in discussions on testing policy and certification standards to ensure alignment with innovation and quality assurance frameworks.

What happens:
Seed treatments may be applied to protect seed and young plants from pests and diseases.
Treatments should be recommended by a BASIS-qualified adviser, ensuring they are appropriate, safe, and compliant with regulations.
It is recommended, though not mandatory, that seed treatment facilities are ESTA (European Seed Treatment Assurance) certified to demonstrate best practice in safety, stewardship, and product quality.

AIC’s role:

Promotes safe, effective, and responsible seed treatment practices across the industry: Basis Seed Sellers Certificate
Supports the ESTA scheme and provides training and guidance to encourage high standards in seed treatment operations.

What happens: 

Seed mucst be packed under supervision and labelled with an official APHA lavel before sale.

AIC's role:

Provide guidance on labelling and packaging standards.

Works with APHA to ensure systems are practical and enforceable.

What happens:
Certified seed sales generate royalties, which are collected and distributed to the breeders who developed the varieties. BSPB also manages the protection of breeder traits and farm-saved seed remuneration..
Businesses must keep records of transactions, inspections, and treatments for at least three years.

AIC’s role:
Keeps Members informed about royalty procedures and trait protection policies.
Ensures standard contracts reflect fair IP and royalty terms.
Promotes compliance across the seed trade.
Ensures Members are audit-ready and compliant with certification record-keeping requirements.
Provides guidance on data management and traceability.

BSPB’s role:
Operates royalty collection and disbursement for certified seed.
Runs the Trait Protection Scheme to safeguard breeders’ intellectual property.
Monitors farm-saved seed (FSS) use, collecting remuneration from processors and farmers and distributing payments to variety owners.
Ensures royalty income supports ongoing investment in plant breeding innovation.

What happens:
Certified seed can be exported under Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) standards.

Roles of AIC and BSPB:
Represents UK interests in OECD and ISTA seed forums.
Ensures UK certification systems remain recognised internationally.
Supports Members navigating export documentation and equivalence requirements.