The Irish Seed Trade Association (ISTA)

 

Founded in 1914, The Irish Seed Trade Association (ISTA) represents multipliers, producers and distributors of certified seed in Ireland. Its role is to promote the use of certified seed in tillage, forage and grassland crops and to ensure the best varieties of seed are made available to Irish farmers. 

Certified Seed is the cornerstone of many farming operations, and various food and beverage industries. It is a fully traceable, weed-free, guaranteed seed product with superior quality to alternatives and is part of a world-wide quality assurance system.  Irish Certified Seed is produced to the highest standards, providing growers with a guaranteed standard of varietal purity, germination, and phyto-sanitary status.

Certified Seed is an insurance/risk management tool against sub-standard crop establishment, thereby protecting the other investments necessary to produce a profitable crop.

Read more about us in our latest brochure. Click to download (Size 1.65MB).


ISTA Brochure on Irish Certified Seed - Front of brochure

The road to certified seed - Processing

What is the process that ISTA certified seed goes through?

When harvesting is complete, acceptable seed is then prepared for bagging and certification. During processing, seed is cleaned of weed seeds, small grains, and screenings. Appropriate chemical dressings are applied using state of the art technology and equipment.

Seed is weighed and packed under Department of Agriculture supervision, prior to application of a Department of Agriculture label. A sample of each seed lot is tested, with a final seed lot test report issued by the Department of Agriculture. Certified Blue Label seed is ready for delivery to Irish farmers. A sample of each seed lot is sown in ‘post-control’ plots at Backweston, Leixlip, Co. Kildare.

Certified sales are reported to the Plant Variety Development Office (PVDO), with royalties paid to plant breeders to help ensure breeders continue to bring new and improved varieties to the market.

The processing stage is one of the many elements of the certification process which guarantees the grain buyer with consistent quality. 

The benefits of using Certified Seed

  1. Guaranteed germination
  2. Consistent quality
  3. Reduced seeding rates
  4. Guaranteed varietal purity
  5. Fully traceable
  6. Independently monitored
  7. Reduced risk of seed borne diseases
  8. Continued cereal genetic improvement

 

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