CORVALLIS, Ore. — Fifty years ago, a helicopter lifted off from Oregon State University for the first aerial inspection of Oregon’s seed crops.
“To do it by vehicle would take 30 full-time employees — and that doesn’t include the cost of transportation. What takes an hour on the ground takes five minutes from the air.”
The flight was part of the OSU Extension Service Seed Certification program, and it marked the beginning of a new era in crop inspection.
On that late July day, two inspectors hovered 20 feet above the ground, covering 8,000 acres in just three hours. Today, the seed certification team flies about 130 hours over a three-week period, inspecting more than 190,000 acres of grass and clover fields.
“We do it with six people in three weeks,” said Andy Altishin, seed certification program manager. “To do it by vehicle would take 30 full-time employees — and that doesn’t include the cost of transportation. What takes an hour on the ground takes five minutes from the air.”
As part of the certification process, the OSU Seed Lab — in operation for 105 years — analyzes about 100 crop types for purity, germination, moisture content and other characteristics.
“We certify varieties to ensure they are true to type,” said Daniel Curry, director of Seed Services and supervisor of the Corvallis Farm Unit. “Think of it like organic certification. Organic certifiers verify that all criteria have been met to be labeled organic. We do the same for seed varieties, making sure that what the bag says is exactly what the grower produced.”
Growers apply and pay a fee for certification, which supports the independent, third-party service. The main reason to get certified, Altishin said, is to prove quality to customers.
“A golf course needs a slow-growing grass variety so they don’t have to mow as often, and it has to withstand heavy use,” Altishin said. “When mowing plants at a tenth of an inch, it matters greatly what seed you plant.
“I have a small cattle farm. I want to make sure I don’t buy turf-type tall fescue, or I might only get half a ton of hay an acre versus four tons of forage-type tall fescue. I also want to avoid introducing problematic weeds into my ground. It can take years and a lot of money to clean up problems caused by poor-quality seed.”
The view from above
Established in 1916, OSU’s Seed Certification Service is now the second largest in the country, certifying crops worth nearly $330 million each year — most of it grass seed. The Willamette Valley, known as the Grass Seed Capital of the World, produces about 600 million pounds of grass seed annually, much of it exported.
Grass seed isn’t the only focus. Certification also covers grains like wheat and barley. Brewers need pure barley for beer, and many bakers require consistent wheat varieties.
To qualify for certification, breeders submit a detailed variety description, including production information, parentage and features such as flower type, leaf color and size, and stem length.
The helicopter gives inspectors a clear, bird’s-eye view of plant growth, color variations and other indicators of off-type plants or disease. If needed, inspectors follow up with ground visits. After harvest and cleaning, a representative sample is sent to the OSU Seed Lab for further testing. If the seed passes, each bag from that lot receives a certified tag.
Spotting weeds early
From the air, inspectors can quickly spot weeds when crops are young. Weeds are classified as common or noxious, and heavy infestations can lead to field rejection or targeted cleanup before harvest.
Field evaluations and seed tests help ensure that certified seed contains little to no common weeds and no noxious weeds. Once weeds are under control, growers can reapply for certification.
“Before we started using a helicopter, a full-time inspector could only see a field once every five years,” Altishin said. “Now every field is inspected every year. It’s a huge savings for the seed industry, and it means a better product for the customer.”
