Measures for the Administration of Grass Seeds.

The purpose of these Measures is to regulate and strengthen the administration of grass seeds, improve the quality of grass seeds, safeguard the lawful rights and interests of the seed selectors, producers, business operators and users, and promote the sound development of the grass industry. The Measures consist of 53 articles divided into 8 Chapters: General Provisions (I); Protection of Grass Germplasm Resources (II); Selection and Cultivation as well as Examination and Approval of Grass Varieties (III); Production of Grass Seeds (IV); Grass Seed Business Operation (V); Grass Seed Quality (VI); Import and Export Administration (VII); Supplementary Provisions (VIII).
For the purpose of these Measures, “grass seeds” mean such planting or propagative materials as grains, fruits, roots, stems, seedlings, leaves and buds for purposes of animal breeding, ecological construction, afforestation and embellishment.
The Ministry of Agriculture shall take charge of the administration of grass seeds throughout the country. The state shall protect grass germplasm resources and no entity or individual may invade, occupy or damage any resource. The Ministry of Agriculture may formulate a list of key grass germplasm resources under state protection as required. The Ministry of Agriculture and the competent grassland authorities at provincial level may establish protection zones or areas of grass germplasm resources. Any grass germplasm resource as imported from a foreign country shall be subject to relevant inspection and quarantine according to the law. As to any grass seed that has been introduced for the first time, an isolated trial planting shall be carried out and a risk appraisal shall be conducted thereon as well. The state encourages an entity or individual to engage in the selection and cultivation of grass varieties. The National Committee for Grass Examination (NCGE), as established by the Ministry of Agriculture, shall take charge of the examination and approval of new grass varieties. As to any new grass variety that has passed the examination and approval, the NCGE shall issue a certificate thereto.
The Measures further cover the conditions and procedures to be satisfied for the application, examination and approval of the License for Production of Grass Seeds and the License for Business Operation of Grass Seeds, grass seed quality supervision and inspection measures, qualifications of a grass seed inspector, examination and approval of grass seed import and export, etc.