Certified seed production returned to normal levels in 2023. The CA Crop Improvement Assn. passed 27,818 acres for seed. Field inspections were initiated in early August and the last inspections took place in early October.
107 acres (1 field) were rejected due to the presence of weedy red rice, and those rejected acres were within the Quality Assurance program that oversees specialty varieties that are not eligible for certification. Included in the total acres passed for seed production are 1297 acres approved within the Quality Assurance program, of which 978 seed acres were Koshihikari production.
M-206 remains the variety with the most acres of seed production, followed by M-211, M-209, M-105, and M-210. Looking at all seed production by grain size, 87% of the approved production was medium grain varieties, 11% short grain varieties, and 2% long grain varieties.