Sale Data Required for Export Sales of U.S. Planting Seeds Under GSM-102 and GSM-103 Programs

  |   Program Notices

WASHINGTON, October 11, 1991-- F. Paul Dickerson, general sales manager for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service and vice president of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), today issued instructions to U.S. exporters who may apply for coverage on sales of U.S. planting seeds to be exported under the CCC's Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-102) and Intermediate Export Credit Guarantee Program (GSM-103).

Dickerson indicated that until further notice, in addition to information required pursuant to program regulations (7 CFR 1493.40), the following information, pertinent to each variety included in a given sale, must be included in all applications:

  1. Variety name
  2. Common name & Latin name
  3. Certification class (If seed not certified, clear indication of that fact)
  4. Germination percentage
  5. Crop year
  6. Other unique or distinguishing characteristics if appropriate
  7. Packaging specification
  8. Unit price in standard units (dollars per pound or kilogram) and per package
  9. Invoice number, date of sale and unit price (in standard units and same type package) for several recent sales (domestic and/or export) of the same or comparable variety
  10. A photo-copy of the "tag" or container label upon which is shown essential data, including elements cited above.

Dickerson invited attention to definitions of terms as set forth in Section 1493.20 of program regulations: He especially noted "date of sale" and references therein to a "firm dollar and cent price".

Dickerson noted that because planting seeds have not been extensively exported under these programs, price review procedures may need further refinement. Accordingly, in administering program requirements, CCC may find it necessary to call upon exporters to provide additional, clarifying information not specified here.

Dickerson said that this additional information is needed to facilitate price review of U.S. planting seed sales and thereby avoid delays in program implementation.