Overview

Planting high quality seeds is the first step to growing a successful crop. The Seed Testing Laboratory provides assurances to the agricultural community that seed used in production is healthy and robust. The Lab performs critical functions for the agricultural industry, testing 800 samples annually to ensure that seed purchased by New York State farmers and consumers is true to label claim, meets minimum germination standards, and is free of noxious weed seeds.

The Seed Lab was originally established at Cornell University in 1882. In 2017, it was consolidated and is now operated by the Department from its new location at the New York State Food Laboratory in Albany. For nearly 140 years, the Seed Lab has provided high quality, non-biased seed results to residents, growers, and seed companies. Since 1912, the lab has been operating as the regulatory laboratory for New York State, testing inspection samples to verify accuracy of product content and labeling for the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.

Submit a Sample

To submit a seed sample for testing, please fill out the Submission Form below. You can also find information about the fee schedule and amounts of seed needed for testing.