Code of Federal Regulations Title 7. Agriculture § 7.201.39 General procedure

(a) In order to secure a representative sample, equal portions shall be taken from evenly distributed parts of the quantity of seed or screenings to be sampled. Access shall be had to all parts of that quantity. When more than one trierful of seed is drawn from a bag, different paths shall be followed. When more than one handful is taken from a bag, the handfuls shall be taken from well-separated points.

(b) For free-flowing seed in bags or bulk, a probe or trier shall be used. For small free-flowing seed in bags a probe or trier long enough to sample all portions of the bag should be used.

(c) Non-free-flowing seed, such as certain grass seed, uncleaned seed, or screenings, difficult to sample with a probe or trier, shall be sampled by thrusting the hand into the bulk and withdrawing representative portions. The hand is inserted in an open position and the fingers are held closely together while the hand is being inserted and the portion withdrawn.

(d) As the seed or screenings are sampled, each portion shall be examined. If there appears to be a lack of uniformity, the portions shall not be combined into a composite sample but shall be retained as separate samples or combined to form individual-container samples to determine such lack of uniformity as may exist.

(e) When the portions appear to be uniform, they shall be combined to form a composite sample.