(A) The Ohio seed improvement association shall certify for Ohio agricultural , vegetable, or flower seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants for varietal identification or for other factors.

(B) No person shall use, orally or in writing, alone or with other words, "certified," "registered," "foundation," or any other term that suggests that the seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants have been certified unless the seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants have been certified by the Ohio seed improvement association. The prohibition established in this division does not apply to use of the word "certified" for the purpose of describing seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants that have been certified as organic in accordance with 7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.

(C) The following information shall appear on the certification label attached to each container of each lot of seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants sold as "certified," "registered," or "foundation" :

(1) The grower's name and address or producer number;

(2) The name of the Ohio seed improvement association as the certifying agency;

(3) The origin of the seed, tubers for seeding purposes, or plants;

(4) The class, kind, variety, or germ plasm of the seed;

(5) Any other information the director of agriculture may require by rule concerning health, vigor, purity, type, and other matters pertaining to certification.

(D) The Ohio seed improvement association shall establish standards and procedures for seed certification that are no less stringent than those prescribed by the association of official seed certifying agencies and that do not conflict with sections 907.01 to 907.17 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under them. The Ohio seed improvement association shall designate intervals at which it shall conduct a review of the certification standards and procedures. No proposed change to the standards and procedures may take effect unless the change first is approved by an affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the members of the association's governing body.

Effective Date: 2003 HB143 10-29-2003