What is Yellow Tag certified Source-Identified (SI) seed?
Only seed with a yellow tag is certified to originate from Iowa prairies.
Licensed growers who market Natural Selections / Iowa Ecotype Project seed participate in the Yellow Tag program of the Iowa Crop Improvement Association (ICIA).
ICIA provides third-party certification for source-identified seed, under guidelines set by the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA).
The Iowa DOT and Iowa Roadside Management give preference to Iowa source-identified Yellow Tag seed in their bidding process for restoration of native vegetation on Iowa's roadsides.
An average of over 150,000 lbs. of Yellow Tag Natural Selections seed was produced by commercial growers per year from 2007-2015.
Why buy Yellow Tag?
For many species, Yellow Tag seed is competitive in price to non-SI seed.
When you buy yellow tag seed, you know that it evolved in Iowa’s environment, you are helping to reduce the risk of introducing new weeds to our state, and you are preserving the genetic diversity that makes prairies resilient.
The high diversity of native species available as seed in Iowa is in large part due to the 30-year relationship among native seed growers, Iowa DOT, ICIA's Yellow Tag program, and the Tallgrass Prairie Center.
Customer demand for Yellow Tag seed helps to sustain this important program.
Where to purchase Yellow Tag seed:
In the Iowa Prairie Seed and Service Providers list, search for growers who "track origin" and ask for Yellow Tag certified seed.
Consult the list of producers in the ICIA Native Seed Directory.