Publicity increases over the years
Publicity and overall awareness of AAS winners is at an all time high. More and more newspapers, blogs, websites and magazines are featuring AAS Winners than ever before. This is because of our strong grassroots efforts beginning at the broker level on through to the consumers, explaining what the AAS brand logo means. “Tested Nationally & Proven Locally” and “The Proof is in the Plant” are the two taglines associated with the AAS brand. We now have more Display Gardens than ever before and those gardens are very engaged with our program.
Why Utilize the AAS Trials
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Prestige
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Increased Sales
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Quicker adoption by industry
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Enhanced Visibility via AAS Promotions
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Industry Marketing Support
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Consumer Marketing Support
Video explaining new AAS Trials
2021 brought some interesting and exciting changes to the AAS Trials and to our scoring methods. Watch and listen to this video for complete details.
Summary of July 22 Meeting
AAS invited breeders, brokers and growers to a Marketing Update and Brainstorming meeting at the most recent Cultivate Show. For anyone unable to attend, this document provides the highlights from that meeting.
How to Enter Next Year’s Trials (entries are now closed for the 2023 trials)
1. Read and have ready everything in the Checklist below.
2. Complete the official AAS entry form online (see links below).
3. Submit entry form by November 1 for Edible and Ornamental trials and by September 15 for the Perennial entry form.
4. Do not send seed or cuttings yet. Instructions will follow after your entry is processed.
5. For edible entries, certain classes must have phytosanitary assay tests. Details are on the entry form. Send copy of the assay report to AAS office by December 1.
6. Upon receipt of your entry, the AAS office will send an invoice for each entry. Invoices are due upon receipt. Pay by check or bank draft in U.S. dollars, drawn on a U.S. Bank. Wire transfer information is included on the entry forms.
Information Checklist for Future Trials
- Complete details on what makes this variety special and why it’s being entered into the AAS Trials
- Traits you want judged
- Variety details
- Plant needs
- Seed health information and test results (test results due by December 1)
- Complete company information including who bred/discovered this variety and who is responsible for sending seed/cuttings
- Two images ready to upload, 1 field and 1 close-up, less than 2 MB in size
- Sowing/growing instructions
- Complete comparison suggestions, including propagation method and breeder
Online Entry Forms
Before clicking on any of the links below to begin your entry, please refer to the checklist above to make sure you have all your information handy in order to completely fill out the application form. On the form, you will choose the in-ground trial, container trial, or both. There is a separate entry fee for each trial.
Entry Fees:
$1,500 net (for entries received before Sept. 1)
$1,700 net (for entries received Sept. 1-15)
Entry Fees:
$600 net (for entries received before Oct. 15)
$800 net (for entries received Oct. 16-Nov. 1)
Entry Fees:
Seed: $600 net (for entries received before Oct. 15)
$800 net (for entries received Oct. 16-Nov. 1)
Non-Seed: $1,000 net (for entries received before Oct. 15)
$1,200 net (for entries received Oct. 16-Nov. 1)
1. Edibles
This trial evaluates edible entries on qualities such as flavor, yield, earliness, plant habit, texture, disease and pest resistance and more. Breeders can choose to trial in containers or in-ground; there is a separate entry fee for each trial. Edible entries must be new, never before sold in the North American Home Garden Market as of the date the entry forms are due. NEW! Entries can be introduced to the market and sold starting the day after the entry deadline. Entry deadline: November 1.
A short and precise explanation of how this trial works:
An informative graphic on the timeline for edible entries, trials and Winner announcements:
2. Ornamentals
This trial is for entries that are propagated by seed or non-seed methods. The entries and comparisons are trialed either in-ground or in containers (breeder’s choice) and are judged on the traits the breeder suggests in addition to standard expectations for those plant classes. There is a separate fee for each trial. Entries must be new, never before sold as of the date the entry forms are due. NEW! Entries can be introduced to the market and sold starting the day after the entry deadline. Entry deadline: November 1.
A short and precise explanation of how this trial works:
An informative graphic on the timeline for ornamental entries, trials and Winner announcements:
3. Perennials
This trial lasts over three winters. Entries can be propagated from seed, vegetative cutting, tissue culture or bare root. Entry deadline is September 15 and all entries will be planted early the following year and are expected to survive three winters. Perennial entries must be new, never before sold as of the date the entry forms are due.
A short and precise explanation of how the Perennial Trial works:
An informative graphic on the timeline for perennial entries, trials and Winner announcements:
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is All-America Selections?
All-America Selections is the oldest, most established independent, non-profit testing organization in North America for ornamentals, edibles and perennials. We trial edibles/vegetables grown from seed, ornamentals propagated from both seed and non-seed means and perennials (as first-year flowering or in a 3 winter trial). Breeders choose if their entry is trialed in containers or in-ground.
Why Should I Enter the AAS Trials?
a) To receive a written objective evaluation on the performance of your entry by experienced horticulturalists, the AAS Judges.
b) To trial your new unsold cultivar at independent test sites across North America.
c) To win the prestigious AAS Award. Winners of the AAS Award demonstrate superior garden performance and are recognized worldwide as varieties with outstanding vigor, quality and productivity under a wide range of environmental conditions.
d) AAS launches an extensive publicity program as outlined below. By becoming a prestigious AAS Winner, your variety is the beneficiary of a wide range of promotional activities. The first year is the most intense phase of promotion in order to successfully launch your new AAS Winner. Beyond the first year, there remains a consistent effort to keep AAS Winners top of mind. In fact, the promotions continue long after the assessment time frame because once an AAS Winner, always an AAS Winner. We often receive requests for photos and other information on winners that are ten, twenty or even 50 years old!
What Publicity Can I Expect to Receive If I Win?
All AAS Winners receive the following publicity based on amount of assesments paid. By winning the prestigious AAS Winner award designation, your variety is the beneficiary of a wide range of promotional activities. The first year is the most intense phase of promotion in order to successfully launch your new AAS Winner. Beyond the first year, there remains a consistent effort to keep AAS Winners top of mind. The first promotions reach brokers and trade media. The next phase is growers and retailers. Then we move on to garden communicators and consumers. The promotions continue long after the three/five/seven year assessment time frame because once an AAS Winner, always an AAS Winner. We often receive requests for photos and other information on winners that are ten, fifteen or even 30 years old! Click here for a downloadable version of the below Promotion Plan.
What are the Criteria for Introduction and Acceptance of the AAS Winner Designation?
AAS requires that the following criteria be submitted to the AAS office at least two weeks prior to each Board of Directors meeting where new Winners are approved. A form can be found here.
- Full, complete marketing name (including all trademarks, patents, etc).
- A minimum of one (1), maximum of five (5) digital image(s) of the cultivar (for PC and MAC) 300 DPI RGB JPEG. These images will be used extensively by AAS and by the garden media. Please send your highest quality images. PREFERABLE: Up to five (5) images of the cultivar in various settings such as: 1) Close-up, 2) Container, 3) Landscape, 4) “Glamour” shot (your choice, can be a culinary shot for vegetables) and 5) In a combination or mixed container.
- For Seed Entries: Estimated total quantity of seed that will be sold to the home garden seed industry (includes mail order seed sales, packets sales and bedding plant sales) in North America (U.S. and Canada) the first 12 months from introduction date, stated in both weight AND seed count.
- For Non-Seed Entries: Estimated total quantity of cuttings that will be sold to the home garden industry (includes mail order plant sales, bedding plant sales, etc.) in North America (U.S. and Canada) the first 12 months from introduction date.
- Current inventory – Seed and cutting inventory should be equal to or greater than the quantity needed for the first year of sale. Seed varieties should be stated in weight AND seed count. To be considered by the AAS Board, the entrant must have 100% of expected first year sales in inventory.
- Breeder must verify that the AAS Winner seed is in inventory and available for immediate shipment to distributors in North America. Breeder must verify that there is enough cuttings in production and will be available for shipment. Winners must pass all plant health requirements for the U.S. and Canada.
- Seed varieties must provide a laboratory germination test (done on blotter or soil) certificate signed by a registered seed technologist.
- Also for seed varieties, the AAS Board would like an indication of the seed enhancement, if any, (pelleted, encrusted, primed, treated) or will the seed be sold untreated? If the seed is to be enhanced, are those processes complete and the seed ready to sell? AAS (seed) Winners must be available as untreated seed.
- The quantity that will be sold the first year can be affected by price. The AAS Board would like a general indication of pricing such as, “the same as F1 Hybrid petunia,” or “higher than normal F1 Hybrid petunia pricing.” Or “Value priced, average price, premium price, etc.”
- Completion of the Winner Introduction Details form, with complete variety details for the AAS website. This in-depth variety information will remain on the AAS website well beyond the assessment time period.
- CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC VEGETABLE CLASSES: All cucurbit, watermelon, melon and brassicas must provide proof of seed health testing prior to introduction. This information is submitted to the AAS Board of Directors for the introduction decision.
Where Are the Entries Tested?
See a list of all AAS Judges and their AAS judge biographies.
What Should I Be Doing During the Trial Year?
All entries CAN be sold after you have submitted your entry to AAS for trialing. This is a perfect time to make them available as exclusives if desired. However, if your entry becomes an AAS Winner, exclusives are no longer allowed.
It is very important that you do not discuss your AAS entry or entries with anyone outside of your company for the period that the trials are being conducted. Trials are anonymous even though you can sell the entered variety while it is being trialed.
Your final entry description form will be sent to you within four to eight weeks after the entry deadline. The official AAS code given to your entry will appear on the form along with the comparison(s) chosen. You can visit any AAS Trial Ground and locate your entry by the AAS code, but do not give the judge any indication which entry is your breeding.
Plan to increase the production of seed or cuttings in the event your entry becomes a potential AAS Winner.
Take high-quality professional photography in the event that your variety scores enough points to become an AAS Winner.
For any entries that are introduced commercially after submission to the AAS Trials, breeders cannot refer to AAS in any manner when marketing those varieties. Only after the trial is completed, the entry scores high enough to become an AAS Winner, criteria are met and the announcement is made by AAS, may the breeder associate that variety as an AAS Winner.
When and How Will I Be Notified If My Entry Is Being Considered for an Award?
The award is based on the average score given to an entry by all Judges. You will be notified of the trial results by the Executive Director in mid-October for the edible and ornamental trials. For the perennial trial, you will be notified in June of the fourth year after entering.
When Is a Variety Introduced as an AAS Winner?
The breeder or entrant decides when the variety is ready to be submitted to the AAS Board for introduction consideration based on fulfilling the criteria for introduction. See above for more information on criteria.
November Introduction The AAS Board reviews the submitted criteria and decides on the introduction. If approved, the variety can be introduced immediately in early to mid-November. An email announcement is sent to all audiences and seed sales commence on that date.
January/February Introduction If a November introduction is not feasible, completed criteria can be submitted to the AAS Executive Director by January 1 for introduction at the next AAS Open Meeting. An email announcement is sent to all audiences immediately after that meeting and seed sales commence on that date.
Summer Introduction In order to qualify for a Summer Introduction, all criteria must be submitted to the AAS Executive Director by June 1. The Winners will be announced in early July. An email announcement is sent to all audiences and seed sales commence on that date.
What Is an AAS Holdover?
A holdover is a variety that has been tested, received a sufficiently high average score to be considered for an award, but has not yet met the criteria for introduction.
How Much Am I Required to Pay AAS for an AAS Winner?
Seed Ornamentals
Assessments for National Winners are 10% of net sales for five years with a minimum/maximum of $2,400/$20,000 per year. Regional Winners are assessed for five years as listed in the following chart:
| Region | Percent | Minimum | Maximum |
| 1 | 2% | $1,200 | $10,000 |
| 2 | 4% | $1,440 | $12,000 |
| 3 | 6% | $1,680 | $14,000 |
| 4 | 8% | $1,920 | $16,000 |
| >4 regions | 10% | $2,400 | $20,000 |
Non-Seed Ornamentals
Assessments for National Winners are 10% of royalties for three years with a minimum/maximum of $2,400/20,000 per year. Regional Winners are assessed for three years as listed in the following chart:
| Regions and % | Minimum | Maximum | |||
| 1 region: 2% | $1,200 | $10,000 | |||
| 2 regions: 4% | $1,440 | $12,000 | |||
| 3 regions: 6% | $1,680 | $14,000 | |||
| 4 regions: 8% | $1,920 | $16,000 | |||
| >4 regions: 10% $2,400 | $20,000 | ||||
Edibles
Assessments for National Winners are 7% of net sales for seven years with a minimum/maximum of $1,680/$14,000 per year. Regional Winners are assessed for seven years as listed in the following chart.
| Region | Percent | Minimum | Maximum |
| 1 | 1.5% | $ 960 | $ 8,000 |
| 2 | 3% | $1,200 | $10,000 |
| 3 | 4.5% | $1,380 | $11,500 |
| 4 | 6% | $1,560 | $13,000 |
| >4 regions | 7% | $1,680 | $14,000 |
Perennials
Trial assessments for National Winners are 10% of sales or royalties on sales for seed, vegetative or tissue culture perennials over a five year period, with a minimum of $2,400 per year and a maximum of $20,000 per year. If the perennial trial winner is a bare root entry, the perennial assessment is one percent of wholesale sales with a minimum of $2,400 and a maximum of $20,000 per year for a five year period. Regional Winners are assessed for five years as listed in the following chart.
| Regions and % | Minimum | Maximum | |||
| 1 region: 2% | $1,200 | $10,000 | |||
| 2 regions: 4% | $1,440 | $12,000 | |||
| 3 regions: 6% | $1,680 | $14,000 | |||
| 4 regions: 8% | $1,920 | $16,000 | |||
| >4 regions: 10% $2,400 | $20,000 | ||||
Does AAS Offer Protection to My Variety If It Wins an Award?
No. The only protection for a new variety is to apply for Plant Variety Protection available from USDA. Learn more about Plant Variety Protection.
Important Dates
KEY:
Bold dates are hard deadlines
Italicized dates are FYI dates
January
10 – AAS Holdover info due for January introduction
<>31 – AAS January Winner introduction: sales commence
May
1 – Begin thinking about submissions for AAS Trials
15 – Invitation to enter AAS Trials (Perennial Trial deadline Sept. 15)
June
1 – Plan which varieties in your breeding pipeline can be submitted for AAS Trials
10 – AAS Holdover info due for July introduction
15 – Invitation to enter AAS Trials (Perennial Trial deadline Sept. 15)
July
1 – AAS July Winner introduction: sales commence
1 – Finalize which perennials can be entered for AAS Trials
15 – Invitation to enter AAS Trials (Perennial due Sept. 15, all others due Nov. 1)
August
15 – Invitation to enter AAS Trials (Perennial due Sept. 15, all others due Nov. 1)
September
15 – AAS Perennial Entries Due
15 – Reminder to enter AAS OS, ONS and ED trials (deadline Nov. 1)
October
1 – AAS Score Sheets Due for OS, OV and ED trials
15 – Final reminder to enter AAS Trials
15 – AAS alerts breeders if their entries scored high enough to be potential winners
November
1 – AAS OS, ONS and ED Entries Due
1 – AAS Holdover info due for November introduction
20 – AAS November Winner introduction: sales commence
AAS Winners