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  • Steve McMurry, Director of Fertilizer and Seed Programs
    Division of Regulatory Services
    103 Regulatory Services Building
    University of Kentucky
    Lexington, KY 40546-0275
    T: 859-257-2785
    F: 859-257-7351
    E: smcmurry@uky.edu

  • Ben Eggett, Manager
    Kentucky Seed Improvement Association
    3250 Iron Works Pike
    Lexington, Kentucky 40511-8470
    T: 859-281-1029
    F: 859-253-3119
    E: ben.eggett@uky.edu


The following responses are provided by Kentucky Regulatory Services in regard to general questions about the Kentucky State Seed Law.

RELATIONSHIP TO RUSSL:
- Does your state seed law model RUSSL?
Answer = YES, as much as possible.

PERMIT/LICENSING REQUIREMENTS:
- Does your state law have a permit /license requirement for seedsmen to distribute seeds in your state?
Answer = YES, $25 permit to label, plus $25 dealer registration fee.

ARBITRATION:
- Does your state offer "Seed Arbitration" as a part of your seed law, or as a separate law?
Answer = NO

PRE-EMPTION LEGISLATION:
- Does your state have "pre-emption" legislation to restrict local political subdivisions from regulating seed?
Answer = YES

BRAND LABELING:
- Does your law allow for "brand name" labeling?
Answer = YES, but if brand names are used, the variety must also be declared in conjunction with the brand name.

VARIETY LABELING:
- Does your state seed law require "mandatory" variety labeling for agricultural crop kinds?
Answer = YES

- Does your law allow for "variety not stated" labeling?
Answer = YES

- Does your law allow for "variety unknown" labeling?
Answer = YES, if the variety is truly unknown, the label must include the statement "variety unknown".

- Do you allow the use of the abbreviated term "VNS" to be used in place of the phrase "variety not stated"?
Answer = YES

- Does your state seed law allow labeling by "crop kind" only?
Answer = NO

TEST DATE:
- What is the "TEST DATE" requirement for agricultural and vegetable seeds in your state?
Answer = 9 months, Agricultural - 15 months, cool season grasses

GMO REGULATIONS:
- Does your state law have any specific language regulating "GMOs"?
Answer = NO

- Does your state test for specific GMO varietal traits on official samples?
Answer =YES, Roundup trait in soybeans

UNIQUE (MISCELLANEOUS) REQUIREMENTS:
- Does your state seed law have any "unique" or special requirements and/or prohibitions?
Answer = NO