As producers get back into their fields for a new season, Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed is stepping up its efforts to educate producers on the benefits of using certified seed and the legalities involved when “brown-bagging.” Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed, located near Vernon, is a non-profit, stand-alone unit of Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The Foundation supports most of the plant material improvement efforts of Texas A&M AgriLife state-wide.
Producers often save seed as a way to save money in planting the next year’s crop—a practice known as brown-bagging. But experts say this activity may be having an opposite effect than the one intended by reducing yields and income. Additionally, AgriLife Research wheat development teams benefit directly from additional funding through royalties generated from authorized sales of certified seed, said Rick Vierling, Ph.D., manager of Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed.
About 10 percent of seed sales and royalties are typically reinvested into plant breeding efforts each year. In return, wheat producers benefit through the introduction of new varieties with better yields, improved disease and pest resistance, and additional advancements in technology. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show the U.S. wheat seed industry loses up to $677 million per year to brown bagging. This means as much as $68 million annually is lost toward reinvestment in developing new varieties, according to the Seed Innovation and Protection Alliance.
There are multiple benefits and risks involved with certified seed and brown-bag seed, Vierling said. And, Texas A&M AgriLife has published a brochure to better educate growers about the differences. Vierling said the problems caused by brown-bagging are not limited to producers, but also to the researchers developing new varieties to stay on top of the latest pest and disease issues.
Certified seed is required to pass through field inspections and testing to minimize weed seed contamination and seed-borne disease, as well as verify the identity of the variety, he said. The Texas Department of Agriculture is responsible for inspecting seed production fields.
On the other hand, brown-bagged seeds are untested and can lead to impure seed, lower yields and reduced end-use quality, Vierling said. While there is a lower upfront cost, there is a considerable risk of reduced end-use quality or contamination with weed, diseased and smaller seeds. Additionally, the vigor of the seeds can be reduced.