WHAT IS AASCO?

The Association of American Seed Control Officials is an organization of seed regulatory officials from the United States and Canada. The Association was organized in 1949, from an outgrowth of regional meetings held in various parts of the United States. The members meet annually to discuss mutual concerns of seed law enforcement, to be updated on new developments in the seed industry, and to update the Recommended Uniform State Seed Law (RUSSL) which the organization developed and maintains as a "model" law for states and federal programs.

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Seed Marketing Specialist Position Available:

We will be conducting a nationwide search for candidates to fill a Seed Marketing Specialist position.  The position is located at the Seed Regulatory and Testing Division offices and laboratory in Gastonia, North Carolina.  The position will be announced at the GS-9 level with promotion potential to GS-12.  The annual starting salary ranges from $47,448 to $61,678.  All candidates must be U.S. citizens.

In the near future, an announcement formally advertising the position nationwide will be made in USA Jobs.  For more information on USA Jobs and the application process, please visit the website at:  http://www.usajobs.gov.  Once the position is announced, I will again contact you and provide more information concerning the recruitment and application process.  We request your assistance in distributing the position announcement to qualified candidates who may be interested in applying for consideration.

If questions arise or further information is needed concerning the Seed Marketing Specialist position or the recruitment and selection process, please contact me.  Thank you for your assistance. 

Richard C. Payne
Director
Seed Regulatory and Testing Division

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Summary of RUSSL Amendments - July 2011

PDF Download available

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Publications/Resources:

Information regarding the Handbook on Seed Sampling
Download the Invoice - Handbook on Seed Sampling

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Retirement of Dr. Richard Payne, Director - USDA

The USDA Federal Seed Regulatory Testing Division has announced that Dr. Richard Payne will be retiring at the end of 2011. Dr. Payne has served the Federal Government for more than 36 years and has been a tremendously valuable resource for virtually every state seed control official. He was frequently consulted for interpretations about seed law and guidance on enforcements. His willingness to assist state seed control officials was exceptional and much appreciated.

The Association of American Seed Control Officials (AASCO) will deeply miss Dr. Payne and his efforts to provide fair and consistent regulations that promote orderly markets for the U.S. seed industry.

SRT Division, USDA Director Position Announcement - Information about this position

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Recent Website Additions:

• 2012 AASCO Annual Meeting Information - found under "Meetings"
• Administrative Practices Handbook- Located in the "Additional Navigation" panel
• Federal Seed Act Training for Seed Control Officials (FSA):
  Word (DOC) Version - Adobe (PDF) Version
• Travel Assistance Application for FSA Training:
  Word (DOC) Version - Adobe (PDF) Version