To All Obkoms, Kraikoms, and CCs of National Communist Parties; All Oblast and Krai Executive Committees and Councils of People's Commissars of Republics; All Raikoms and Raion Executive Committees; All Directors and Heads of Political Departments of MTS; All Directors and Heads of Political Departments of State Farms — February 25, 1934

The CC of the VKP(b) and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR have received reports of unsatisfactory conditions regarding seed quality in collective farms and state farms, namely — reduced germination, contamination, and at times infestation with pests. Meanwhile, the oblast and krai Party and Soviet organizations, and especially district organizations, have to this day practically not organized the testing of grain for germination and have not taken measures to improve the quality of existing seed stocks, to exchange low-quality seeds for better grain destined for milling and the market.

Considering this situation wholly inadmissible, the CC of the VKP(b) and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR direct:

1. Secretaries of obkoms, kraikoms, and CCs of national communist parties, chairmen of oblast and krai executive committees and Councils of People's Commissars of republics, secretaries of raikoms, and chairmen of raion executive committees shall take under their direct supervision the entire matter of preparing seed grain for the spring sowing.

2. To immediately conduct thorough testing of all seed grain in collective farms and state farms for germination, taking samples of grain from each granary and from each separate lot of grain without fail.

3. For the carrying out of this work, to utilize all agronomists in the district, to direct agronomists from oblast institutions to the districts, to mobilize grain and seed inspection workers to assist the collective farms, and to engage workers of inter-district yield commissions in the testing, assigning them to specific collective farms so that all testing of seeds for germination is completed everywhere within a ten-day period.

4. To ensure that sowing is done with seeds having a germination rate of 90% or higher, permitting only in extreme cases the sowing of seeds with a lower germination rate, but no less than 80%.

5. Directors and heads of political departments of MTS, in cases of sowing with grain of reduced germination but not below 80%, shall ensure a corresponding increase in the sowing norm by the collective farms.

6. Upon discovery of grain with low germination, contaminated, of increased moisture, or infested with pests, mites, smut, etc., all necessary measures shall be taken to improve its seed qualities: cleaning, winnowing, shoveling, and especially chemical treatment.

7. To complete in the shortest time the receipt by collective farms and state farms of grain allocated by the state, both for exchange and as seed loans (grain from Zagatzerno and Gossortfond).

8. To organize simultaneously on a voluntary basis the exchange of low-germination grain from some collective farms for surpluses of better seed grain from other collective farms, as well as for food grain of the collective farmers themselves.

9. Within a ten-day period, to complete both inter-oblast and intra-oblast transfers of grain designated for exchange. Directors of MTS and state farms shall complete within a ten-day period the receipt of seed grain allocated by the state, both for exchange and in the form of seed loans.

Regarding measures taken, raikoms and raion executive committees, directors and heads of political departments of MTS, directors and heads of political departments of state farms are obliged to report every 5 days to obkoms, kraikoms, and CCs of national communist parties and oblast and krai executive committees and Councils of People's Commissars of republics.

Obkoms, kraikoms, CCs of national communist parties, and oblast and krai executive committees and Councils of People's Commissars of republics in their turn are obliged to inform the CC of the VKP(b) and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR every 5 days.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR
V. MOLOTOV

Secretary of the Central Committee of the VKP(b)
I. STALIN

February 25, 1934.
Pravda. February 26, 1934.