Seeds (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 No. 114

Title and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Seeds (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 and shall come into operation on 30th April 2008.

Amendment of the Beet Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

2.—(1) The Beet Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(1) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)—

(a)after the definition of “the Department” insert—

““EEA State” means—

(a)

a State which is a member of the European Communities; and

(b)

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;”;

(b)for the definition of “member State” substitute—

““member State” means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;”;

(c)for the definition of “official examination” substitute—

““official examination” means—

(a)

in relation to Basic Seed and seed of generations prior to Basic Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

an examination of the crop in the field and a seed test carried out by or on behalf of the Department or by or on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers under provisions equivalent to these Regulations; or

(ii)

an examination of the crop in the field carried out by or on behalf of the Department or by or on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers and a seed test carried out under official supervision by an establishment licensed as a seed testing station;

(b)

in relation to Certified Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

an examination of the crop in the field carried out under official supervision by a licensed crop inspector and a seed test carried out under official supervision by an establishment licensed as a seed testing station; and

(c)

in relation to any description of seed produced elsewhere than in the United Kingdom, an examination or a test approved by the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;”; and

(d)for the definition of “official label” substitute—

““official label” means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;”.

Amendment of the Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

3.—(1) The Cereal Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(2) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)—

(a)after the definition of “the Department” insert—

““EEA State” means—

(a)

a State which is a member of the European Communities; and

(b)

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;”;

(b)for the definition of “member State” substitute—

““member State” means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;”;

(c)for the definition of “official examination” substitute—

““official examination” means—

(a)

in relation to Basic Seed and seed of generations prior to Basic Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(b)

in relation to Certified Seed, Certified Seed of the First Generation or Certified Seed of the Second Generation produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(c)

(d)for the definition of “official label” substitute—

““official label” means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;”.

(3) In Schedule 5, in Part II (maximum weight of a seed lot and minimum weight of a submitted sample), for the number “25” each time it occurs substitute “30”.

Amendment of the Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

4.—(1) The Fodder Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(3) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)—

(a)after the definition of “the Department” insert—

““EEA State” means—

(a)

a State which is a member of the European Communities; and

(b)

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;”;

(b)for the definition to “member State” substitute—

““member State” means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;”;

(c)for the definition of “official examination” substitute—

““official examination” means—

(a)

in relation to Basic Seed and seed of generations prior to Basic Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(b)

in relation to Certified seed, Certified Seed of the First Generation, Certified Seed of the Second Generation or Commercial Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(c)

(d)for the definition of “official label” substitute—

““official label” means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;”.

(3) For sub-paragraph (c) of Part II of Schedule 5 (maximum weight of a seed lot and minimum weight of a submitted sample) substitute—

“(c)The maximum weight of a seed lot of a mixture of seeds shall be 10 tonnes, except that, where more than 50% of the mixture consists of kinds of seeds for which the maximum weight of the seed lot prescribed in seeds Regulations is more than 10 tonnes, the maximum weight shall be as prescribed for the kinds of that type that appear in the larger or largest proportion.”.

Amendment of the Oil and Fibre Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

5.—(1) The Oil and Fibre Plant Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(4) are amended in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)—

(a)after the definition of “the Department” insert—

““EEA State” means—

(a)

a State which is a member of the European Communities; and

(b)

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;”;

(b)for the definition of “member State” substitute—

““member State” means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;”;

(c)for the definition of “official examination” substitute—

““official examination” means—

(a)

in relation to Basic Seed and seed of generations prior to Basic Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(b)

in relation to Certified Seed, Certified Seed of the First Generation, Certified Seed of the Second Generation, Certified Seed of the Third Generation or Commercial Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(c)

(d)for the definition of “official label” substitute—

““official label” means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;”.

Amendment of the Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994

6.—(1) The Vegetable Seeds Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994(5) are amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) to (5).

(2) In regulation 3(1) (interpretation)—

(a)after the definition of “the Department” insert—

““EEA State” means—

(a)

a State which is a member of the European Communities; and

(b)

Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;”;

(b)for the definition to “member State” substitute—

““member State” means, in addition to a State which is a member of the European Communities, any other EEA State and Switzerland;”;

(c)for the definition of “official examination” substitute—

““official examination” means—

(a)

in relation to Basic Seed and seed of generations prior to Basic Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(b)

in relation to Certified Seed produced in the United Kingdom—

(i)

(ii)

(c)

(d)for the definition of “official label” substitute the following definition—

““official label” means a label issued or authorised by or on behalf of the Department, the Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers;”;

(3) For Schedule 1 (kinds of seeds to which the Regulations apply) substitute Schedule 1 as set out in the Schedule.

(4) In Schedule 4, in Part II, in the table in paragraph 2(a) (minimum standards for seeds), at the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert the following row—

“Sweet corn or popcorn

0.1

85”.

(5) In Schedule 5—

(a)in Part I (sampling of seed lots), for the table in paragraph 11(a) (dynamic spear sampler) substitute the following table—

“Dimensions (mm)

	Point	Shoulder	Boss	Aperture Length	Aperture Width	Bore	Outside Diameter
	(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)	(e)	(f)	(g)
For sampling—
All kinds other than asparagus, beans, beet, cucumber, gherkin, marrow, melon, peas, popcorn, spinach or sweet corn	42	7	8	20	8	10	12
All kinds other than beans, marrow, peas, popcorn or sweet corn	85	12	10	33	11	13	15
All kinds other than peas and broad beans	82	12	13	40	15	17	19
Peas and broad beans	78	15	15	40	18	20	22”;

and

(b)in Part II (maximum weight of a seed lot and minimum weight of a submitted sample)—

(i)in the table in sub-paragraph (a), at the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert the following row—

“Sweet corn or popcorn

20”; and

(ii)-in the table in sub-paragraph (b), at the appropriate place in alphabetical order insert the following row—

“Sweet corn or popcorn

1000”.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on 12th March 2008.

J.W.Speers

A senior officer of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.