Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
ISO 9001:2000, a general management standard applicable to a wide range of organizations, is the
de facto standard in use for business accreditation. General principles of management, records, corrective
action and product development contained in this standard form the basis for many other more specialized
standards, both ISO and others.
ISO 17025 covers every aspect of testing and measuring laboratory management, ranging from sample
preparation to analytical testing proiciency to record keeping and reports. ISO 17025 borrows heavily from
ISO 9001:2000 for management requirements, to which are added detailed requirements for laboratories,
such as provision and maintenance of equipment, calibration and traceability to national or international
standards, and estimation of measurement uncertainty.
Canada (CfIA) Accreditation
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) offers an accreditation system for seed laboratories that
wish to become accredited. Laboratories are required to follow the requirements set by the Seed Laboratory
Accreditation and Audit Protocol (SLAAP), a standard closely related to ISO 9001:2000. Accreditation is
for purity and germination testing only. Requirements include meeting minimum speciications for facili-
ties, equipment and reference materials, having a quality system, having accredited analysts performing
or responsible for testing, and participation in pre- and post-accreditation proiciency testing programs.
Accredited testing must be conducted according to the Canadian Methods and Procedures for Testing
Seeds. Accreditation activity follows a three-year cycle. An onsite audit performed the irst year is fol-
lowed the second year by internal proiciency monitoring performed by the laboratory, and the third year
by proiciency check samples. The CFIA partners with the Canadian Seed Institute (CSI) for monitoring,
proiciency and auditing responsibilities of accredited seed laboratories.
united States (ASL) Accreditation
The USDA Accredited Seed Lab (ASL) program was developed in 2005 by a task force that included rep-
resentatives of Association of Oficial Seed Analysts (AOSA), Society of Commercial Seed Technologist
(SCST), Association of American Seed Control Oficials (AASCO) Association of Oficial Seed Certiication
Agencies (AOSCA), American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), and USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service
(AMS). It is a voluntary service to seed laboratories.
The accreditation standard for ASL is titled ARC 1001, published by the USDA. This standard very
closely follows ISO 9001:2000, with requirements added regarding use of the USDA logo. In addition to
having a quality system and adequate equipment, laboratories are required to be AOSA or SCST members
in good standing and employ an accredited U.S. seed analyst (CSA or RST). The accredited seed laborato-
ries must satisfactorily participate annually in a recognized proiciency testing program and send the results
of annual internal audits to the USDA. Accreditation is for physical purity and germination testing only.
Testing must be conducted according to the AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds.
Seed laboratories that meet all requirements of this program and successfully pass a USDA Process
Veriied Program audit (both systems and technical) are authorized to issue USDA ASL Certiicates (Reports
of Analysis).
International (ISTA) Accreditation
The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) is an organization formed in 1924 and now comprised
of member laboratories from over 70 participating countries. Membership is open to oficial laboratories,
private laboratories and individuals. In order to obtain ISTA accreditation, the laboratories must be ISTA
members. To become members, they may need the approval of their designated authority, most often the
ministry for agriculture or the national seed testing laboratory.
