Quality control and traceability are essential elements in the production of farm-processed seed and the NAAC has relaunched its Assured Land-Based Contractor (ALBC) (Verified Seed) Scheme to promote professionalism and encourage high standards of safe, traceable working practices within the industry.
Originally launched twenty-six years ago at the Cereals Event, the scheme was a trailblazer industry leader, as an independently audited, quality standard which covers the quality of service which the contractor provides, offering customers genuine assurance about the activity of mobile seed processing contractors.
Commenting Rob Barrie, NAAC Seed Section Chair said, ‘Over the past 26 years mobile seed cleaning contractors have seen a steady increase in demand for their services. This growth has been in response to a number of economic and environmental factors. The NAAC has responded by providing its members with the tools they need to provide a quality service and the ALBC Verified Seed Standard offers an additional layer of reassurance to customers.’
Jamie Burrows, NFU Combinable Crops Board Chair, said, ‘Farmers value having the choice between growing certified seed or farm saved seed, and it is great to see the relaunch of the NAAC seed standard which give farmers the confidence in the service they are receiving.’
In 2025, quality seed is vital to the customer and farm saved seed offers a relatively low-cost source of seed, giving the farmer control over seed quality, provenance and seed treatments. Farm saving can ensure a clean seed sample, selecting larger, bold seed sizes which are proven to give significant improvements in plant emergence, vigour, tillering and yield, ensuring customers are optimising potential yield going into the drill.
This updated ALBC Verified Seed Scheme applies to contractors who are processing seed on-farm using mobile seed processing machinery for use under the direct control of the farmer customer and where the seed is not for sale or intended for sale.
The NAAC scheme is designed to help contractors involved in the mobile processing of seed to identify the hazards and critical control points of the process. The scheme aims to help the person processing seed to fully understand, and to be able to show full understanding of, the seed processing system and the critical control points of their process including:
· Ensuring that personnel involved in seed processing are suitably skilled.
· Ensuring that seed materials are traceable and are free from harmful contamination.
· Providing appropriate storage for raw materials.
· Ensuring that processing equipment is regularly and appropriately maintained and cleaned.
· Adopting production processes, such as record keeping, which ensures full traceability.
· Identifying and controlling hazards which might occur.
The updated standard can be found here: https://www.naac.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ALBC-Verified-Seed-v6-COMBINED-final-2025.pdf
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