AMS No. 038-13

Nadine Wilkins (202) 720-8998

nadine.wilkins@ams.usda.gov

WASHINGTON, March 13, 2013 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced that Buchheit Inc., Perryville, Mo., has paid $3,600 to settle alleged violations of the Federal Seed Act.

This settlement resolves five cases that involved five shipments of tall fescue seed from Missouri to Kentucky. The alleged violations, while not the same for all shipments, were as follows:

-false labeling as to variety name;

-false labeling as to pure seed, other crop seed, and weed seed percentages;

-false labeling as to presence of noxious-weed seeds;

-false labeling as to germination percentage; and

-failure to keep or supply complete records of the seed.

The company settled the cases in agreement with AMS officials. The company neither admitted nor denied the charges brought against them.

AMS administers the Federal Seed Act with the assistance of state seed officials. The investigations were completed through the joint efforts of AMS and seed regulatory officials in Kentucky. The Federal Seed Act is a truth-in-labeling law designed to protect farmers and consumers who buy seed.