UK Statutory Instrument
2011
United Kingdom
The Seed Marketing Regulations 2011
At a glance
What's here
54 compliance obligations
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Trader 21
- Any Person 14
- Distributor 10
- Manufacturer 2
Plus 7 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Other Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Traders also bound by 826 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 413 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 243 duties
- The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 2008 114 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 62 duties
- Building Societies Act 1986 1986 56 duties
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Distributors also bound by 177 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (England) Regulations 2017 2017 28 duties
- The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material (Wales) Regulations 2017 2017 26 duties
- The Marketing of Fruit Plant and Propagating Material Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 2017 25 duties
- Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 2002 21 duties
- THE ELECTRICITY SAFETY, QUALITY AND CONTINUITY REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2012 2012 19 duties
Manufacturers also bound by 472 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Pressure Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 2016 91 duties
- Lifts Regulations 2016 2016 70 duties
- The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 2021 70 duties
- Non-Automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2016 2016 67 duties
- Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 2015 64 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part 1 — Introduction
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Meaning of “marketing”
Interpretation of other terms
Part 2 — Categories of seed
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Seed to which these Regulations apply
Categories of seed
Breeder’s seed
Maintainers for pre-basic and basic seed
Part 3 — Marketing seed
Marketing seed
- Ensure seed is certified, packaged, and labelled before marketing Any Person
Detailed requirements for certification
- Follow certification process for seed (entry, inspection, sampling, testing) Any Person
Crop inspections
- Use licensed or official inspectors for seed crop certification Any Person
Standard of seed at the time of marketing
- Ensure seed meets minimum quality standards at the time of marketing Trader
Control plots and tests
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must test seed and verify variety quality Crown / Minister / Government department
Labelling
- Use licensed personnel for seed labelling and protect labels from misuse Any Person
Mixtures of seed
- Follow strict rules for marketing seed mixtures Trader
Records
- Maintain and produce seed marketing audit trails Any Person
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Exceptions
Overriding requirements: the building blocks necessary for certification
Re-grading a crop or seed
Packaging and sealing
Part 4 — Licensing
Licensing crop inspectors, seed samplers and seed testing stations
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must verify competence before issuing seed sector licences Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Operations requiring a licence from the Secretary of State
Licences for temporary experiments
General provisions relating to licences
Part 5 — Administration and revocations
Withdrawing certification
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State may withdraw seed certification Crown / Minister / Government department
Sampling for enforcement purposes
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must follow specific procedures when sampling seed Crown / Minister / Government department
Forms of certificates used for enforcement
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Authorised officers must issue specific certificates for seed sampling and testing Statutory regulator
Importation from a country granted equivalence
- Comply with rules for importing and marketing equivalent seed Any Person
Appeals
- Appeal a seed certification or licensing decision within 21 days Any Person
Arrangements for official measures
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State may delegate seed certification to third parties Crown / Minister / Government department
Confidentiality
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must protect seed genealogy confidentiality Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 9 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Certification for export
Fees
Marketing seed under a specific derogation
Licensing and certifying in another part of the United Kingdom
Certification in a Crown Dependency or a country granted equivalence
Transitional provision for official labels on IP completion day
Transitional provisions
Review
Revocation
Schedules
Crop and seed requirements
- Ensure cereal seed crops meet quality, purity, and health standards Any Person
Seed from other plants
- Ensure seed samples meet purity standards for other plant species Trader
Ergot and sclerotia
- Ensure seed samples meet ergot and sclerotia limits Trader
Permitted types of fodder seed
- Ensure fodder seed meets prescribed certification standards Trader
Crop and seed requirements
- Ensure fodder plant seed crops and seeds meet quality and health standards Trader
Permitted types of beet seed
- Use only permitted categories of beet seed Trader
Minimum standards for purity and other species of seed in the sample
- Ensure meadow grass seed purity meets minimum standards Trader
Permitted types of oil and fibre seed
- Use only permitted seed categories for oil and fibre crops Trader
Crop and seed requirements
- Ensure seed crops and seeds meet official quality and pest-free standards Any Person
Permitted types of vegetable seed
- Use only permitted types and varieties of vegetable seed Trader
Crop and seed requirements
- Ensure vegetable crops and seeds meet quality and health standards Any Person
Crop and seed requirements
- Ensure beet seed crops are inspected, sampled, labelled and meet quality standards Manufacturer
Permitted types of cereal seed
- Ensure cereal seed meets permitted certification standards Trader
Types of label
- Use correct labels on seed packages Distributor
Additional requirements for beet seed
- Include specific classifications on beet seed labels Trader
Additional requirements for cereal seed
- Ensure correct labeling for cereal seed varieties Trader
Additional requirements for fodder seed
- Use correct official labels for fodder seed Trader
Additional requirements for oil and fibre seed
- Label hybrid oil and fibre seed with specific variety details Trader
Labelling a package
- Label seed packages correctly with supplier information Distributor
Breeder’s seed: supplier’s labels
- Label packages of breeder’s seed with specific supplier details Distributor
Beet seed: supplier’s labels
- Label small packages of beet seed correctly Distributor
Time of labelling
- Label seed packages at the time of sealing Trader
Cereal seed: supplier’s labels
- Label small packages of cereal seed correctly Distributor
Fodder seed other than a mixture: labelling requirements
- Label small packages of fodder seed correctly Distributor
Fodder seed mixture: labelling requirements
- Label fodder seed mixtures correctly on small packages Distributor
Oil and fibre seed: supplier’s labels
- Use and format supplier’s labels for small packages of oil and fibre seed Distributor
Vegetable seed: supplier’s labels
- Label vegetable seed packages with specific supplier information Distributor
Genetically modified varieties
- Label genetically modified seed varieties Trader
Chemical treatment of seed
- Label chemically treated seeds with treatment details Trader
Official labels: general requirements
- Use official, unique labels for seed packaging Any Person
Official labels for pre-basic seed
- Use correct official labels for pre-basic seed Trader
Official labels for basic seed and certified seed
- Use correct official labels for basic and certified seed Any Person
Official labels for commercial seed not certified as to variety
- Use brown official labels for commercial seed not certified as to variety Trader
Early multiplication of seed
- Follow strict rules for the early multiplication of unlisted seed varieties Any Person
Marketing imported seed to be labelled as HVS
- Apply for HVS certification and re-label imported seed Trader
Marketing seed of amateur vegetable varieties
- Follow rules for marketing seed of amateur vegetable varieties Distributor
Marketing seed of conservation varieties
- Follow strict rules for marketing 'conservation variety' seeds Any Person
Marketing unlisted varieties (other than vegetable seed) for tests and trials
- Apply for authorisation to market unlisted seed varieties for trials Manufacturer
Browse 57 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Scope of Part 1
Meaning of “pre-basic seed” (including hybrids)
Meaning of “basic seed”
Meaning of “certified seed”
Meaning of “certified seed, first generation”
Meaning of “certified seed, second generation”
Higher voluntary standards for cereals
Additional requirements for barley, wheat, durum wheat and spelt wheat
Interpretation of Part 1
Scope of Part 3
Meaning of “pre-basic seed”
Meaning of “basic seed”
Meaning of “certified seed”
Meaning of “certified seed, first generation”
Meaning of “certified seed, second generation”
Meaning of “commercial seed”
Higher voluntary standards for fodder seed
Scope of Part 4
Meaning of “pre-basic seed”
Meaning of “basic seed” for non-hybrid varieties
Meaning of “basic seed” for inbred lines
Meaning of “basic seed” for simple hybrids
Meaning of “certified seed”
Meaning of “certified seed, first generation”
Meaning of “certified seed, second generation”
Meaning of “pre-basic seed”
Meaning of “certified seed, third generation”
Meaning of “commercial seed”
Requirements for a varietal association
Scope of Part 5
Meaning of “pre-basic seed”
Meaning of “basic seed”
Meaning of “certified seed”
Meaning of “standard seed”
Meaning of “basic seed”
Meaning of “certified seed”
Scope of Part 2
Interpretation
Introduction
Meaning of “supplier’s label”
References to weights in this Part
Fodder seed (agricultural or amenity): packages that may be labelled with a supplier’s label
Sales of loose seed
Labelling mixtures
Marketing unlisted varieties of vegetable seed
Marketing for scientific or selection purposes
Restrictions relating to genetically modified seed
Marketing seed certified in another European Single Market State
Seed not finally certified, harvested in another European Single Market State
Seed not finally certified, harvested in a country granted equivalence
Marketing extensions
Seed as grown
Farm saved seed
Seed with a declared lower germination
Early movement of seed
Tetrazolium testing for cereal seed
Marketing preservation mixtures that include uncertified fodder seed
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