UK Seed Certification

UK Seed Certification As a direct consequence of the Government’s spending review, and the need to cut operational costs, Fera has been working with the industry over the past year to look at how the administration and operation of the UK’s seed certification system might be revised and costs reduced.

Work is focusing in particular on the use of the current on-line certification system and whether it continues to be ‘fit for purpose". Advances in IT mean that cheaper and better alternatives may now exist.

AIC is working to ensure that whilst direct costs may be reduced, this is not at the expense of increasing indirect costs within businesses or creating a less user friendly system. Recent discussions have determined there is merit in linking the contract for the provision of electronic certification with that for seed certification which is due for re-tender shortly. Putting the two together would deliver both simplification and cost savings.