Advancing Crop Innovation for Texas Agriculture
Delivering high-quality, genetically pure seed that supports growers, strengthens breeding programs, and drives the future of Texas agriculture.
Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed supports breeders, seed companies, and growers across Texas by ensuring the genetic purity, protection, and proper distribution of new plant varieties.
What Is Foundation Seed?
Foundation seed is the vital link between a plant breeder’s work and the certified seed farmers rely on. It is the earliest, highest-quality generation of seed produced outside the research program, and it provides the genetic purity and consistency needed for future seed classes.
Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed ensures that each new variety is carefully grown, inspected, and preserved exactly as intended by the breeder. By protecting the integrity of the genetics, Foundation Seed helps maintain strong performance in the field, supports long-term variety success, and builds trust for farmers, seed companies, and licensing partners across Texas and beyond.
What Is Foundation Seed?
The four seed classes used nationwide follow AOSCA standards and ensure genetic purity from breeder seed all the way to certified seed.
Breeder Seed:
The originating or sponsoring plant breeding organization directly controls this seed class.
Foundation Seed:
The progeny of Breeder or Foundation seed handled to maintain specific genetic purity and varietal identity.
Registered Seed:
The progeny of Breeder or Foundation seed handled to maintain satisfactory genetic purity and varietal identity.
Certified Seed:
The progeny of Breeder, Foundation or Registered seed handled to maintain satisfactory genetic purity and varietal identity.
Understanding these classes is essential for growers, seed companies, and licensing partners who work with Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed.
Seed Law Guidance
Texas A&M AgriLife Foundation Seed works directly with breeders, seed companies, and growers to support compliance with the Plant Variety Protection Act. Our role ensures that new varieties are legally protected, properly licensed, and distributed with the integrity intended by the breeding program.
Brown bagging might look like a shortcut — but it can lead to serious legal and financial consequences for growers. Understanding the rules protects your farm and the future of Texas agriculture.