Cotton Seed Certification

1. The Company Field Production Manager will inspect all planters before planting and record on the Miscellaneous Inspection Form.
2. Company Field Production Managers will gather maps from growers and conduct field inspections.
3. Before time for Certification and Phytosanitary field inspections, Company Field Production Managers will provide maps for use by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture (Department) Inspectors. Inspectors may accompany the Field Production Manager in his Company vehicle.
4. Company Field Production Managers will stay in close contact with the grower and the Inspector throughout the year to help with production acres that did not pass the first inspection.
5. Company Field Production Managers will inspect all harvesting and hauling equipment and record this information on the "Miscellaneous Inspection Form".
6. Company Field Production Managers will inspect the gin and seed handling equipment and record this information on the Gin Inspection Form. The Plant Board Inspector or Certification office must be notified before this inspection is performed.
7. The Company Field Production Manager will inspect trucks hauling production seed and seed storage wherever applicable. This information will be entered on the "Miscellaneous Inspection Form"
8. The "Miscellaneous Inspection Form", with all inspection information, will be provided to the Seed Certification Office for their files.
9. The Seed Company will provide the Certification Office with transgenic purity data on finished seed lots.

Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Seed Certification Section Responsibilities

1. The Department Certification will provide guidance and guidelines of Seed Certification standards.
2. The Department Seed Certification Inspectors will inspect acreage for certification standards and phytosanitary requirements with Company Field Production Managers if possible and provide field inspection reports stating whether the acreage has passed inspection or whether a re-inspection will be required at a later date.
3. The Department Seed Certification will provide Cottonseed Companies with Certification tags if the seed is processed in AR. If interagency seed, proper bulk transfer forms must accompany shipments.
4. The Department Seed Certification Office will review applications and approve varieties for Certification. Variety descriptions must be provided before time for field inspections.
5. The Department Seed Certification Office will administer the Seed Certification Program and conduct audits of procedures and practices as needed.

Cotton Gin Clean-Out Procedures

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Seed Certification Office will be notified in advance of scheduled ginning of certified cotton. Notification will be repeated when changing varieties, before ginning the new variety. (Telephone notification is acceptable. Call 501/225-1598)

• The gin must be thoroughly cleaned just prior to ginning any Foundation or Registered cotton. This includes dropping the rolls and making sure all conveyers and seed handling systems are cleaned. Floors should be swept or blown free of all seed cotton. This should be followed by a five minute (or more) dry run of the gin until all loose seed is eliminated from the system.
• After start-up, gin three (3) bales per stand and divert to an alternate location before saving any planting seed.
• Seed Company Representatives will supervise the clean-ups, complete and sign the Gin Inspection Form, sending the original to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Certification Office.
• The Arkansas Department of Agriculture may audit the above procedures as deemed necessary.

1. The Company Field Production Manager will inspect all planters before planting and record on the Miscellaneous Inspection Form.
2. Company Field Production Managers will gather maps from growers and conduct field inspections.
3. Before time for Certification and Phytosanitary field inspections, Company Field Production Managers will provide maps for use by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture Inspectors. Inspectors may accompany the Field Production Manager in his Company vehicle.
4. Company Field Production Managers will stay in close contact with the grower and the Inspector throughout the year to help with production acres that did not pass the first inspection.
5. Company Field Production Managers will inspect all harvesting and hauling equipment and record this information on the "Miscellaneous Inspection Form".
6. Company Field Production Managers will inspect the gin and seed handling equipment and record this information on the Gin Inspection Form. The Inspector or Certification office must be notified before this inspection is performed.
7. The Company Field Production Manager will inspect trucks hauling production seed and seed storage wherever applicable. This information will be entered on the "Miscellaneous Inspection Form"
8. The "Miscellaneous Inspection Form", with all inspection information, will be provided to the Seed Certification Office for their files.
9. The Seed Company will provide the Certification Office with transgenic purity data on finished seed lots.

Arkansas Plant Board Certification Office Responsibilities

1. The Department Seed Certification will provide guidance and guidelines of Seed Certification standards.
2. The Department Seed Certification Inspectors will inspect acreage for certification standards and phytosanitary requirements with Company Field Production Managers if possible and provide field inspection reports stating whether the acreage has passed inspection or whether a re-inspection will be required at a later date.
3. The Department Seed Certification will provide Cottonseed Companies with Certification tags if the seed is processed in AR. If interagency seed, proper bulk transfer forms must accompany shipments.
4. The Department Seed Certification Office will review applications and approve varieties for Certification. Variety descriptions must be provided before time for field inspections.
5. The Department Seed Certification Office will administer the Seed Certification Program and conduct audits of procedures and practices as needed.
6. Cotton Gin Clean-Out Procedures
7. The Seed Certification Office will be notified in advance of scheduled ginning of certified cotton. Notification will be repeated when changing varieties, before ginning the new variety. (Telephone notification is acceptable. Call 501/225-1598)
8. The gin must be thoroughly cleaned just prior to ginning any Foundation or Registered cotton. This includes dropping the rolls and making sure all conveyers and seed handling systems are cleaned. Floors should be swept or blown free of all seed cotton. This should be followed by a five minute (or more) dry run of the gin until all loose seed is eliminated from the system.
9. After start-up, gin three (3) bales per stand and divert to an alternate location before saving any planting seed.
10. Seed Company Representatives will supervise the clean-ups, complete and sign the Gin Inspection Form, sending the original to the Seed Certification Office.
11. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture may audit the above procedures as deemed necessary.