Seed Certification Services
Illinois Crop Improvement certifies seed for varietal purity and identity under a limited generation system. Information concerning germination and mechanical purity, such as percent inert matter and percent weed seed, must comply with state and federal seed laws.
Certification is a multi-step process that begins with the proper introduction of new varieties or lines to the system. All laboratory, bulk transfer, field inspection, seed source, and limited generation requirements must be met before tags or certificates are issued.
Quality Assurance and Authentication
Illinois Crop Improvement can also provide third-party process-development and auditing services under AOSCA Quality Assurance (QA), Identity Preserved (IP), and other authentication programs.
Phytosanitary Services
Illinois Crop is accredited under the National Seed Health System to perform phytosanitary seed crop field inspection of corn, soybean, wheat, sunflower, sorghum bicolor and cotton throughout Illinois and Puerto Rico. Our reports can be used to obtain Federal Phytosanitary Certificates.
Seed Directories
Zach Duray
Field Services Director
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Zach joined Illinois Crop in 2020 after working at the University of Illinois and the USDA-Agriculture Research Service’s Wheat, Sorghum, and Forage Research Unit in Lincoln, Nebraska. While with the USDA, he performed disease bioassays in a greenhouse setting and confirmed the identity of transgenic plants by genotyping. Zach has evaluated the characteristics and pathogenicity of brown stem rot, sudden death syndrome, phytophthora root rot, and tar spot under greenhouse, growth chamber, and field conditions. At the University of Illinois, Zach was a Visiting Research Specialist for the Field Crops Pathology Research Lab in the Department of Crop Sciences. Under greenhouse, growth chamber, and field conditions the Crop Sciences lab evaluated the characteristics and pathogenicity of several plant pathogens. Zach played an integral role in designing the PCR protocols to isolate fungal barcoding genes to maintain isolate identity and create a phylogeny of tar spot isolates collected from across the Midwest to learn more about this disease’s origin and its evolution since its discovery in the US in 2015. Zach has a Bachelors Degree in crop science with a concentration in plant biotechnology and molecular biology and a Masters Degree in plant biotechnology under the Professional Science Master’s program from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Zach is a licensed pesticide applicator and an associate member of the Society of Commercial Seed Technologists working towards the Registered Genetic Technologist (RGT) certification.
Paula Palmgren
Records Specialist, Applications & Certifications
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Diane Campbell
Records Specialist, OECD Certificates & Tags, Bulk & Certificates
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