The Michigan Crop Improvement Association offers a variety of field inspection services for different applications whether it be seed, grain, or specialty traits. MCIA currently performs inspections on: corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, barley, rye, kidney beans, navy beans, black beans, birdsfoot trefoil, and adzuki beans. Trained inspectors located throughout the state perform the inspections.
MCIA inspection services are a statistically accurate system to evaluate and document a farm
produced seed or plant product. They are a system used to evaluate a broad base of factors in
the field using sequential sampling methods to meet a desired standard. Another added benefit
to field inspection would be the identification, isolation, and removal of small sources of
contamination as a proactive approach to reaching a desired level of quality. Additional testing
is done at later steps to support the field results and offer additional information. For the
same degree of reliability, it would be necessary to test a much greater number of samples at a
later time (point of shipment) to achieve the same results. Due to the rising cost of specialized
testing, a systems approach to reaching a desired level of quality is very effective. A basic
flow of the system is outlined below:
Seed Stocks
Pure Foundation seed stocks
set quality standards for genetic purity
verified application process
Field Inspection
ability to view large portion of population
performed at a plant stage when plant characteristics are most easily distinguishable to determine genetic or trait purity
the use of sequential sampling techniques to accurately measure field quality
the ability to identify and isolate quality deficiencies in the field
the ability to evaluate other agronomic factors contributing to quality such as fertility, maturity, weeds, disease, insect, and other crop