if bacterial ring rot is not noted. The classification level for these lots shall be
retained under the normal generation system as if they were eligible for
certification. All other seed lots in the operation may be certified, but shall not be sold
for future seed propagation for 1 growing season. All shipping and inspection
documents for these lots that are sold during the first year after disease identification
shall indicate that the seed is not to be used for seed propagation. If bacterial ring rot
is detected in an operation in more than 1 seed lot in the same year or in 1 seed lot 2 of 3
consecutive years, then all seed stocks shall be removed from the operation and
all equipment and facilities shall be cleaned and disinfected before further certification
will be issued. If bacterial ring rot is detected in an operation in more than 1 seed lot
in the same year or in
1 seed lot 2 of 3 consecutive years or noncertified
production occurred in the previous year of operation, then seed potatoes will not
be approved for sale or transfer from the operation to other seed propagation operations
for 2 growing seasons. Cutting and planting equipment is to be thoroughly cleaned and
disinfected between lots and the disinfection shall be documented for future reference
by the official seed-certifying agency. This documentation shall be part of the
application for certification. Materials that are used to disinfect cutting and planting
equipment shall be of a type labeled for bacterial disease control.
(i) Seed lots which are eligible for sale or transfer and which have not been winter-
tested or laboratory-tested or for which a sample or samples have not been submitted for
winter testing by an organization approved by the official seed-certifying agency or the
Michigan department of agriculture.
(j) Bacterial ring rot-infected potatoes and other plant parts that might provide a
source of contamination or cull potatoes from another location or farm are stored or
disposed of at, or are introduced into, the operation.
(2) If a potato disease of significant impact to the seed industry is identified for
which certification standards have not been established in these rules, then the director
shall appoint an advisory committee to provide recommendations for appropriate
certification standards and actions. The committee shall consist of 1 certified or
foundation seed potato producer and 1 representative each from all of the following:
(a) The department of plant pathology and the department of crop and soil sciences
at Michigan state university.
(b) The official seed-certifying agency.
(c) The Michigan department of agriculture.
(3) The signed affidavit required for the genetic material defined in R 285.628.1(j)(iii)
shall be provided by the applicant to the official seed-certifying agency upon
request, in order to propagate and certify this material in Michigan. The certified seed
tag for this material shall specify that it has met all certification standards, except
for nonvisual characteristics. The plant and tuber descriptions and any required
affidavits shall be in a format approved by the official seed-certifying agency.
(4) Except as otherwise specified, the measurement method or
basis for
determining compliance with the stated tolerances is visual inspection of a sample of
the plants or tubers in the field or lot, respectively. Further, except as specified, sample
sizes are to be determined by the certification agency. Diseases, varietal mixtures, or
grade defects may be present at a level in excess of specified tolerances; however,
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