Bulk Retail Facilities and Bulk Distribution Centers
Bulk Retail Facilities and Bulk Distribution Centers are sites other than a certified seed producer's primary place of business that serve as retail outlets for Kansas Certified Seed. Such sites are approved by KCIA (in the case of Bulk Retail Facilities) or registered by the certified seed grower contracting with a site ( in the case of a Bulk Distribution Center).
The two types of facilities have very different functions and responsibilities as are noted below. Any facility with proper equipment completely separate from grain handling facilities and with the ability and desire to maintain seed quality and conform to State seed laws and Kansas certification standards is eligible. Both types of facilities must register with the Kansas Department of Agriculture as a seed retailer.
Standards governing Bulk Distribution Centers and Bulk Retail Facilities
2022 KCIA Approved retail bulk sites
Bulk Distribution Center (BDC)
A Bulk Distribution Center is a facility that contracts with a certified seed grower to sell that seedgrower's certified seed. The certified grower inspects the site for suitability and completes a registration form which is submitted to KCIA. The certified seed grower supplies his/her seed and official Bulk Retail Sale Certificates or official Bulk Invoice Labels to the BDC. The BDC agrees to maintain the seed in quality and purity, deliver the seed to its customer, and issue the proper document or label to the customer. A facility may act as a BDC for more that one certified grower if all parties are ammenable. The certified grower is responsible that the BDC is acting according to state seed laws and certification standards and should not sign up a site if these expectations can't be met by the facility. There are no fees associated with being a BDC.
Bulk Retail Facility (BRF)
A Bulk Retail Facility, one approved by KCIA, operates as an independent facility with authority to purchase eligible Kansas Certified seed, request labels or Bulk Retail Certificates from KCIA and sell that seed under their company name. There are procedures that must be followed and forms that must be used to purchase seed for resale. A bulk retail facility is responsible for complying with all seed laws and certification standards and since its name is on the label, assumes all responsibilities for that seed.
A bulk retail facility purchases eligible seed using a Transfer or Resale of Kansas Certified Seed in Bulk form or a Declaration of Additional Purchase form where appropriate. Seed is sold using Bulk Retail Certificates or Bulk Invoice Labels depending on facility preference. A BRF must track purchase and sale of certified seed through its facility, keeping an inventory for each variety handled and submitting activity to KCIA by December 15.
A bulk retail facility must be registered with the Kansas Department of Agriculture. To become a BRF, application must be made to KCIA. A one-time on-site inspection of facilities an and a training session will be conducted. There is a fee for approval and for annual renewal. They are listed at the bottom of the application. You do not have to be a KCIA member to be a Bulk Retail Facility, but fees are substantially higher for non-members.
IMPORTANT NOTE: KCIA is moving to a web-based dashboard for certified seed lot management. The dashboard will make most, if not all of the current procedures below obsolete. The dashboard will make paper record keeping unnecessary because it will easily be done within the program. Use of the dashboard will make end of year reporting to KCIA unnecessary.
Certification Dashboard Training Videos
Bulk Retail Facilities can begin using the dashboard immediately. For a comparison of the new dashboard with the currently used protocol click here .
Current protocol for facilities not using web dashboard:
Marketing Seed As A Bulk Retail Facility - a slide presentation overview of operation as a Bulk Retail Facility.
Application for Bulk Retail Facility - use this form for application for new sites or renewal of Bulk Retail Facilities.
Bulk Retail Facility manual - operation manual for Bulk Retail Facilities including standards, checklist and representation of forms used.
Order Transfer forms - used to buy seed to sell - orders can also be placed by phone or email.
Order Labels - used to sell seed - orders can also be placed by phone or email.
Declaration of Additional Purchase form - A BRF may purchase additional seed of the same seed lot previously received using a Transfer or Resale of Kansas Certified Seed in Bulk form by completing this form and sending to KCIA within 5 business days. This form may be printed off.
Maintaining a Bulk Retail Facility Inventory Sheet - an example of how to maintain an inventory sheet. If your company has an in-house inventory program that will provide us the same information clearly, you may use that in lieu of our inventory sheet.