A complaint may be filed when there is reason to believe that a violation of the Minnesota Seed Law has occurred. Violations typically involve seed that is not of the kind, variety, purity or quality stated on the label, contains prohibited noxious weed seed, or contains excessive levels of inert matter or certain other weed seed. Violations may also occur when seed has been otherwise misrepresented by false or misleading advertising.
A complaint may be filed when there is reason to believe that a violation of the Minnesota Seed Law has occurred. Violations typically involve seed that is not of the kind, variety, purity or quality stated on the label, contains prohibited noxious weed seed, or contains excessive levels of inert matter or certain other weed seed. Violations may also occur when seed has been otherwise misrepresented by false or misleading advertising.
Seed law violations may be brought to the attention of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) by: mail, e-mail, phone, or in-person with a MDA staff member, or County Agricultural Inspector (CAI). The individual making the complaint will be asked to fill out a Seed Inspection Request Form. This form is used to officially initiate a complaint-based investigation, and case file. This form is also available under the: Forms + Resources section, located on the right side of the web page.
Seed law violations may be brought to the attention of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) by: mail, e-mail, phone, or in-person with a MDA staff member, or County Agricultural Inspector (CAI). The individual making the complaint will be asked to fill out a Seed Inspection Request Form. This form is used to officially initiate a complaint-based investigation, and case file. This form is also available under the: Forms + Resources section, located on the right side of the web page.
The case is assigned to an MDA Seed Regulatory Unit field staff member based on the location and nature of the alleged violation. The MDA investigator will schedule an appointment with the complainant to begin the inspection and sampling (evidence gathering) phase of the investigation.
Inspections can be conducted at retail and wholesale facilities, conditioning plants, fields, gardens, and other locations as follow-up to a complaint. A violation could result from the testing and analysis of an official sample in which incomplete, false, or misleading labeling was discovered. It also could result from false or misleading labeling or advertising discovered during an investigation without a sample being drawn. In some cases, records are also reviewed as a part of the investigation. From the information required in these records, a seed lot could be traced to another site where another inspection can be conducted and an official sample obtained if it is necessary to document a violation.
Inspection reports and sample test results are added to the case file and reviewed by the MDA Seed Regulatory staff to determine the nature and extent of the violations.
