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General Public

Pesticide Usage

The regulation of pesticides and biocides in the UK is undertaken by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) in York and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in Bootle respectively. Pesticides and biocides are carefully assessed prior to approval under the EU Thematic Strategy for Pesticides and the Biocidal Products Directive respectively.

Seed Testing & Certification

The sale of most agricultural and horticultural seeds is controlled through a series of seeds regulations dealing with cereals, fodder crops, oil and fibre crops, beet seeds, and vegetables respectively. These regulations are part of an EU-wide framework which ensures that seeds meet the same quality standards wherever they are sold in the European Union.

The standards which must be met by most kinds of seed include varietal purity (trueness to type), analytical purity (a measure of gross contamination), freedom from weeds and germination.

Seed & Ware Potatoes

The Seed Potato Classification Scheme (SPCS) ensures the continuing high quality of Scottish Seed Potatoes, by setting strict tolerances for freedom from disease and trueness to type. SASA is the Certifying Authority for the SPCS and also carries out a range of scientific activities in support of seed potato classification in Scotland. 

Information on the SPCS, including application forms for tuber inspection and soil testing for PCN, can be found in the Classification Scheme section.

GM Inspectorate

The Scottish Government opposes the cultivation of GM crops which could damage Scotland's rich environment and would threaten our reputation for producing high quality and natural foods.  It would diminish Scotland's image as a land of food and drink.

Cereals National Listing

NATIONAL LIST

The National List system was adopted in 1973 following the UK entry into the European Community. It applies to the main agricultural and vegetable species and ensures that no seed of a prescribed species may be marketed in the UK unless the variety is on a UK list or the EC Common Catalogue.

The National List system, together with seed certification and labelling:

Beet, Fodder, Oil & Fibre and Vegetables

The Herbage & Vegetable Crops Branch advises UK Government Departments on a range of plant variety testing and seeds matters and undertakes statutory work in variety registration and certification. Plant variety testing, and supporting functions, are outlined below in more detail.

Plant Variety Testing

New plant varieties are tested to determine if they are unique, to allow a botanical description to be compiled, and, in the case of agricultural crops, to ensure they have agronomic merit in the regions in which they will be grown.

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