Native seeds in commerce: More Frequently Asked Questions

To make intelligent choices in the marketplace, customers should have a working understanding of 1) the diversity of products that are available in the seed trade; 2) how they move in the market; 3) how they are regulated for purity and germination; 4) how they are certified to assure genetic identity; and 5) how they are legally protected as intellectual property. Options for seed certification have greatly increased over the last several years. Two complementary certification mechanisms are currently being used to deliver native plant materials, one facilitating the traditional cultivars and the other directed toward the novel pre-variety germplasms. Both accommodate natural and genetically manipulated plant materials.