Indiana State Chemist serves crucial role regulating seed sales in the state 

The Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) is responsible for administering several agricultural laws related to animal feeds, fertilizers, pesticides, seeds and hemp. The Indiana State Seed Laboratory is one of six programs within OISC and plays a crucial role in regulating seeds within Indiana by administering and enforcing the Indiana Seed Law, IC 15-15-1. 

This law ensures truth-in-labeling for seed lots with the goal of consumer protection. The Indiana State Seed Laboratory is a member of the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) and conducts all testing in accordance with the AOSA Rules for testing seeds. 

The Indiana State Seed Laboratory issues Indiana Seed Permits to seedsman selling seed in Indiana, as well as Indiana Seed Library permits to entities hosting seed swaps/seed giveaways in the state. The application for an Indiana Seed Permit or Indiana Seed Library Permit can be found on our website. 

All permit holders and retail locations selling seed in Indiana are subject to inspection by OISC. Inspectors of OISC conduct field inspections and collect official regulatory samples. Those samples are submitted to the Indiana State Seed Laboratory for official regulatory testing, according to AOSA Rules and to determine compliance with the provisions of the Indiana Seed Law. 

According to the Indiana State Seed Law, the following tests may be performed on official regulatory samples: Indiana noxious weed seed test, purity analysis, and germination analysis. Label reviews are also performed to check for any technical errors or violations. 

The Indiana State Seed Laboratory has a partnership with the USDA which helps ensure and enforce uniformity amongst states. All seed lots sold in interstate commerce and found to be in violation with the Indiana State Seed Law and AOSA Rules are submitted to the USDA for further testing. 

The Indiana State Seed Laboratory also offers services for a fee. These services include: 

• Indiana noxious weed seed test, purity analysis, germination analysis (warm germ) 
• Complete test of Indiana noxious weed seed test + purity analysis + germination analysis (warm germ) 
• Seed count, immunoassay strip test for corn, soybeans and alfalfa only 
• An interstate noxious weed seed test 

You can find the Indiana State Seed Laboratory Seed Service Information Form on our website. 

In summary, the Indiana State Seed Laboratory’s diligent work ensures that seeds sold in Indiana adhere to quality standards, protecting both consumers and the agricultural community.