Section 285.628.1. Definitions.

Rule 1.  As used in these rules:

(a)      "Certifiable seed potatoes" means seed potatoes which meet or exceed the standards established in these rules, which are produced and stored  as required by these rules, and which originate from a state-approved laboratory or greenhouse program that involves in vitro techniques of propagation   and the subsequent   production  of plants or tubers under a controlled environment.Seed stock produced under these controlled conditions shall be designated nuclear. Seed originating from this program will be produced in a limited generation system of foundation-field years 1 through 5, and certified field years 1 through 6. foundation-field year 1, is the first  field  progeny of nuclear seed produced in a laboratory or  greenhouse  program.  Initial explants shall be screened for the presence of pathogens  by using accepted techniques.

(b)      "Certification" means the act of verifying compliance with the standards or requirements specified in the regulations governing the production of seed potatoes. Except as otherwise specified, the measurement method or basis for determining compliance  with   the  standards   is  visual inspection of the  growing  grounds   and crops  thereon  or  harvested therefrom   as  described  in   the  regulation. "Certification" does not constitute a guarantee or warranty or representation that the seed potatoes to which the indicia of certification (certification tags, seals, bulk certificates) are attached, or which are otherwise represented as certified, are merchantable or fit for a  particular purpose.

(c)       "Certified seed" means a class of seed which meets the disease and varietal tolerances established by these rules for field year 1 through field year 6 and which is the progeny of foundation seed or the progeny of seed produced in another state or country that is certified as foundation seed or a higher class by an official seed-certifying agency in the other state  or country using standards comparable to  the  standards  established in these

rules.  Certified seed from other states or countries that is to  be  entered for certification in Michigan must meet or exceed Michigan=s  certified  seed standards.

(d)  A Commercial potato production@ means production of potatoes for other than certified seed purposes.

(e)   "Field year" means a  seed  potato  classification   designating   the number of years a particular lot has  been  grown in  the   field    after greenhouse propagation.

(f)   "Foundation seed" means the progeny of nuclear seed or a comparable seed class approved by the certifying agency. Foundation seed shall meet the disease and varietal tolerances established in these rules for field  year  1 through field year 5.

(g)      "Nuclear seed stock" means propagation material, including mini-tubers and plantlets, which originated in a state-approved laboratory or greenhouse program that involves in vitro  techniques  and  which  is grown under controlled conditions.

(h)    "Operation" means a seed potato enterprise where the lowest  class of seed planted is certified, field year 6. It  includes  all  land, equipment, storages, and facilities used to produce certified seed.

(i)   "Seed lot" means all the seed potatoes of the same variety which are of a single class, which are of a specific seed source, and which are harvested from a field or stored together in a specific storage facility.

(j)   "Seed potato" means the tuber that is used for the reproduction of the potato.

(k)   "Seed potatoes eligible for certification" means any of the following:

(i)      Any potato variety that has been released, named, and had its description published by the potato association of America, United States department of agriculture, or   a  recognized    state    agricultural experiment station.

(ii)       Cultivars that do not have published descriptions, such as advanced lines from breeding programs and protected varieties, if the seed source is approved by the official seed-certifying agency and a plant and tuber description is provided to the official seed-certifying agency.

(iii)       Lines, selections, and transgenic seed stocks which are derived from previously named and described varieties, which enter an approved tissue culture program, and which carry a trait or traits that are not visibly certifiable if the lineage is clearly substantiated by signed affidavit.

(l)   "Separate operation" means a distinct production unit which has a unique and dedicated storage facility and which has equipment that is assigned only to that operation. Separate operations shall be designated at the time of application for certification.

(m)   "Tolerance"  means   a    permissible   allowance   for   a    disease, varietal mixture, or grade defect as specified in the regulations governing the certification of seed potatoes.

History: 1979 AC; 1990 AACS; 1994 AACS.