PPQ Form 925 Federal Seed Analysis Certificate

Clear Form
According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0579-0124. The time required to complete this information
collection is estimated to average .5 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

OMB Approved
0579-0124
EXP: XX/XXXX

THIS CERTIFICATE EXPIRES 30 DAYS
FROM ITS DATE OF ISSUE

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
PLANT PROTECTION AND QUARANTINE

CERTIFICATE NUMBER

FEDERAL SEED ANALYSIS CERTIFICATE

(For Canadian-Grown Agricultural and Vegetable Seed Destined for the United States)
1. NAME AND ADDRESS OF EXPORTER REQUESTING ANALYSIS

2. DATE ISSUED
3. LABORATORY TEST NUMBER

EXPORTER PROVIDED INFORMATION

(The information is that of the sender and not of the laboratory.)

4. ORIGIN

5. KIND

6. VARIETY

7. SCIENTIFIC NAME

8. LOT DESIGNATION

9. WEIGHT

10. TREATMENT

11. OFFICIAL SAMPLE TAKEN BY

12. OTHER INFORMATION

LABORATORY DETERMINATION
(to be used for labeling)

13. COMMON NAME(S) OF KINDS IN EXCESS OF 5% OF THE WHOLE

14. SCIENTIFIC NAME(S)

(as recognized in Federal Seed Act regulations)

15. INDICATE IF SEED IS, OR WILL BE, (mark all that apply)
Pelleted

Coated

Treated (indicate labeling)

Not Applicable

16. NOXIOUS WEED SEEDS BASED ON EXAMINATION OF ______________ GRAMS
17. SCIENTIFIC NAME AND NUMBER OF EACH KIND OF NOXIOUS WEED SEED

18. CERTIFICATION OF AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL (place an “X” in ONE box below)
I certify that this lot meets the noxious weed requirements of the Federal Seed Act.
OR
This lot contains noxious weeds beyond tolerance and may be imported into the United States only if consigned to an approved facility for
cleaning.
19. ACCREDITATION NUMBER, NAME AND ADDRESS OF ISSUING
LABORATORY

20. NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL

21. SIGNATURE
I attest I have no conflict of interest in certifying this shipment of seed
PPQ FORM 925
MAR 2020

Previous editions are obsolete.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING PPQ FORM 925
FEDERAL SEED ANALYSIS CERTIFICATE
(For Canadian-Grown Agricultural and Vegetable Seed Destined for the United States)
Appropriate Use of PPQ 925 - Use the PPQ Form 925 only for agricultural or vegetable seed
of Canadian origin, or U.S. Seed Returned. Do not use PPQ Form 925 if the kind of seed is not
listed in the Federal Seed Act (FSA) Regulations (7 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 361
aka APHIS FSA Regulations) for a list of regulated kinds of seed.
If the seed to be exported to the United States is of foreign origin other than Canada, or is not
U.S. Seed Returned, do not use PPQ Form 925. Instead, use Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) Form 5289 provided by CFIA, and follow their instructions.
All fields must be completed. If there is no relevant information, enter “N/A.”
Top Right
Corner

Assign a Certificate Number – Certificate numbers must be unique and
recorded by the laboratory for audit purposes.
Begin with the accreditation number issued by the CFIA Laboratory Accreditation
Program, followed by the four-digit calendar year, then the consecutive serial
number of the certificate. For example, if your laboratory is in Yukon, is designated
as “9999-LAB” the first certificate you issue in 2020 will be “9999-LAB-2020-1”:
CFIA Accreditation
Number

9999-LAB-

Calendar Year
Serial Number

2020-

1

Block 1

Enter the name and mailing address of the person and company submitting the
sample for testing.

Block 2

Enter the date the certificate is issued. Note certificates expire 30 days from issue.

Block 3

If your laboratory assigns a test number, enter it here.

EXPORTER PROVIDED INFORMATION (Blocks 4-12)
Block 4

Enter either “Canada” or “U.S. Seed Returned.” A seed mixture containing a
component (or components) of origin other than Canada is treated as foreign origin
(other than Canada). A seed mixture of U.S. and Canada origin seed is treated as
Canada origin seed. Do not issue a PPQ Form 925 for a mixture if it contains any
component that is of foreign origin.

Block 5

Enter the common name(s) as provided by the exporter. You may abbreviate to fit
the space. For example, if the seed is a mixture of red clover, yellow sweetclover,
and white sweetclover, you may designate the kind in Block 5 as a “clover mixture.”
Name all components in the LABORATORY DETERMINATION section.

PPQ Form 925 Instructions

Page 1 of 4
(Updated 03/01/2020)

Block 6

Enter the variety name for FSA-V seeds, or “V.N.S.” (variety not stated) if the
exporter does not state the variety. The FSA requires a variety name only on
vegetable seeds.

Block 7

Enter the scientific name provided by the exporter. DO NOT change the exporter’s
information if you determine the seed is other than provided.

Block 8

Enter the lot designation provided by the exporter. It may be numeric,
alphanumeric, or alphabetical.

Block 9

Enter the number and types of containers, and weight in pounds or kilograms, as
provided by the exporter.

Block 10

If the lot has been (or will be) treated, enter the name of the substance or process
used to treat the seed. Substance names shall be the commonly accepted coined,
chemical (generic), or abbreviated chemical name.

Block 11

Enter the name of the officially recognized sampler.

Block 12

If the seed will be pelleted or coated, indicate that here. Add any other pertinent
information supplied by the exporter.

LABORATORY DETERMINATION (to be used for labeling; Blocks 13-21)
Block 13

The kind names used must be recognized in APHIS regulations under the FSA
(7 CFR 361 aka APHIS FSA Regulations). The accepted kind names are listed in
Section 361.1, Definitions, and Section 361.5, Sampling of seeds, TABLE 1.

NOTE:

The following kinds are most often mislabeled. These kind names are not
acceptable: “canola,” “sweetclover,” “bromegrass,” “mustard,” and “trefoil.”
If the seed lot is not a mixture, fill in the kind name of that single kind.
If the seed lot is a mixture, identify each kind in excess of 5 percent of the whole.
List each kind on a separate line. Although the FSA does not require labeling of
percentage for each component, you may include the percentage, if known. For
example:
13. COMMON NAMES(S) OF KINDS IN EXCESS OF 5% OF THE WHOLE

35% yellow sweetclover
30% white sweetclover
25% red clover
10% white clover
Block 14

14. SCIENTIFIC NAME(S)

Enter the scientific name(s) as listed in Section 361.1 – Definitions. If not found in
the APHIS FSA Regulations, use the scientific name(s) as found in the USDA
Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Germplasm Resources Information Network
(GRIN) database. For mixtures, list each species on a separate line as in Block
13. For example, this would be the entry next to the example above:

PPQ Form 925 Instructions

Page 2 of 4
(Updated 03/01/2020)

13. COMMON NAMES(S) OF KINDS IN EXCESS OF 5% OF THE WHOLE

35% yellow sweetclover
30% white sweetclover
25% red clover
10% white clover

14. SCIENTIFIC NAME(S)

Melilotus officinalis
Melilotus albus
Trifolium repens
Trifolium pratense

Block 15

Put an “X” in any block that applies to indicate if the seed is, or will be, pelleted,
coated, and/or treated. If the seed will not be pelleted, coated, or treated, put an
“X” in the block for “Non-Applicable.”

Block 16

Enter the weight of the sample examined for noxious weeds. You will find the
required weights for testing in Section 361.5, Sampling of seeds, TABLE 1. For
mixtures, refer to Section 361.5 (a)(1)(i) and (ii) to determine the working weight for
a noxious weed examination.
If five or more noxious weeds are found, stop the test and enter the weight of seed
you examined up to that point.
If you find two noxious weed seeds in the sample, you must test an additional
sample. This additional sample should also be reported in Block 16. For example, if
the working weight is 30 grams, enter “30 + 30” to indicate that two samples of 30
grams were examined. See Block 17 “retesting” for reporting instructions in this
situation.

Block 17

Include only FSA-listed noxious weeds. Section 361.6 (a) of the APHIS FSA
Regulations contains two noxious weed lists:
1. 361.6 (a)(1) lists prohibited Federal Noxious Weeds (FNWs) (NOTE: Native
species of dodder, Cuscuta spp. and broomrape, Orobanche spp. are
allowed); and
2. 361.6 (a)(2) lists noxious weed seeds allowed in minimal amounts as
determined by sampling.
The FNWs listed in paragraph 361.6 (a)(1) generally do not occur in Canada. If
you find any weeds listed in paragraph 361.6 (a)(1), DO NOT ISSUE THE
CERTIFICATE. Inform the exporter that the shipment is not eligible for entry
into the United States.
You are more likely to find weeds with allowed tolerances as listed in 361.6 (a)(2).
The taxonomy of weeds can change so be sure to check the USDA ARS GRIN
database for the currently valid scientific name.
Inert Matter - Do not count material considered Inert Matter as weed seeds. See
Section 361.6 (c) of the APHIS FSA Regulations for categories of noxious weed
seeds considered Inert Matter.

PPQ Form 925 Instructions

Page 3 of 4
(Updated 03/01/2020)

Retesting. If you find two noxious weed seeds in the first test, you must do a
second test on an additional sample. Report this in Block 17 as: “Test Number 1:
[number of seeds] [scientific name]” and “Test Number 2: [number of seeds]
[scientific name].” For example:
17. SCIENTIFIC NAME AND NUMBER OF EACH KIND OF NOXIOUS WEED SEED

Test Number 1: 1 Cirsium arvense; 1 Sonchus arvensis
Test Number 2: 2 Sonchus arvensis

Block 18

Put an “X” in the First block in the following cases:
1. You find no noxious weed seeds in the sample;
2. You find only one noxious weed seed from the list in Section 361.6 (a)(2); or
3. You test a second sample after finding two noxious weed seeds and find an
additional two or fewer noxious weed seeds from the list in Section 361.6
(a)(2).
Otherwise, put an “X” in the Second block. This will occur in the following cases:
1. You find any Federal Noxious Weed seed from the list in section 361.6 (a)(1);
2. You find three or more noxious weed seeds from the list in Section 361.6
(a)(2); or
3. You test a second sample after finding two noxious weed seeds and find an
additional three or more noxious weed seeds from the list in Section 361.6
(a)(2).
If you mark the second block, notify the exporter that the seed lot may not enter the
United States unless it is consigned to an approved facility for cleaning.
Seed consigned to a U.S. Facility for cleaning. For a list of approved facilities,
see the USDA Plants for Planting Manual APHIS Approved Facilities Authorized to
Clean Canadian Seeds in the United States. A copy of this certificate must be sent
to APHIS-PPQ Field Ops Exclusion & Imports [[email protected]] with the
subject heading “Canadian Seed.”

Block 19

Enter the accreditation number, name and address of the issuing laboratory (a
stamp may be used).

Block 20

Print the name and title of the person responsible for the validity of the test results
(usually the laboratory manager).

Block 21

The person listed in Block 20 signs here. Signatures may be preprinted or actual
signatures. The person signing the certificate is certifying that kind names used
and noxious weed tests performed are in accordance with FSA Regulations,
and that they have no conflict of interest in issuing this certification.

For information on reporting through the automated commercial environment ACE, please see
the APHIS Core Implementation Guide and Supplemental Trade Guide. In order to help
expedite your shipment you may also upload your document to the CBP Document
Image System (DIS). For information on how to use DIS, please see the ACE DIS
Implementation Guide.
PPQ Form 925 Instructions

Page 4 of 4
(Updated 03/01/2020)