All-America Selections

American seed evaluation organization All-America Selections (AAS) is an American organization which tests new varieties of seed for use in gardening, and promotes those judged to perform best through an awards scheme ("AAS Winners"). The testing program involves horticulture professionals. Organization AAS was founded by Ray Hastings in 1932, making it the oldest international seed and plant testing organization in North America. It is governed by a board consisting of four officers and six directors. Selection process Submissions Plant breeders and developers submit new plants to AAS for evaluation. The plants are then tested at more than 40 independent sites located in 24 US states and 5 Canadian provinces. A test site is called a trial garden or trial ground. Each trial ground has at least one official AAS judge. The judge supervises the trial and evaluates entries for AAS at no charge. None of the judges are paid for their AAS activities. Judging AAS Trials have been conducted every year since 1932. The number of judges and sites may vary. Typically, judges are horticultural professionals, and the sites, in different parts of North America, are part of a seed company trial gro