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22IEUROPEANSEEDIEUROPEAN-SEED.COMightydiversecountries218memberlaboratoriesand103personalandassociatemembers.ThiswasthesnapshotothemembershipotheInternationalSeedTestingAssociationISTAattheendo2014.ISTAisanon-proftassociationoseedtestinglaboratoriesandindi-vidualseedproessionalsestablishedin1924andoperatingunderthegovernanceomembercountriesanddistincteconomies.Theobjectivesotheassociationareprimarilytodevelopadoptandpublishstandardproceduresorseedsamplingandtestingtopromotetheuniormappli-cationotheseproceduresandtoadvanceresearchinallareasoseedscienceandtechnology.Thetechnicalpartotheassociationsobjectivesisaccomplishedthroughtheworko18technicalcommitteesmostothemdedicatedtospecifcareasoseedtestingandcomposedothebestexpertsandseedanalysts.Thecommitteesaretaskedwiththeresponsibilitytodevelopnewmethodsandprovidescientifcallysoundtechnicalandanalyticalsolutionstoseedtestingchallenges.ThesemethodsarethenpublishedastheISTARulesandhandbooks.Inadditionthecommitteesalsoacilitatethedisseminationoseedtest-ingknowledgethroughworkshopsandseminars.TheseeducationaleortscomeinadditiontoISTAsscientifcpublicationSeedScienceandTechnology.AprincipalcomponentotheeortostandardisationinseedtestingisISTAsaccreditationoseedtestinglaboratoriesandtheuseostandardisedreportingotestresultsontheISTAOrangeInternationalSeedLotCertifcateandtheISTABlueInternationalSeedSampleCertifcate.ToillustratethecontributionoISTAsworktotheseedindustryoneshouldollowtheliecycleoaseedlotorexampleahybridcornvariety.TheutilisationoISTAmethodsactuallystartsinthepreviousgenerationwheretheparentallinesotheseedaretobetestedtoconfrmidentityandgeneticpurity.Ineedbetheparentallineswillalsobetestedortraitpurityandoradventitiouspresenceogeneticallymodifedseed.Atertheseedisharvestedromtheparentlineandprocesseditwillbetestedorqualitygerminationmoisturevigourandpurity.IthisseedisdesignatedorexportitmayundergoadditionaltestingorseedhealthandpossiblyGMOtestingagain.TheresultswillbedocumentedonanISTAOrangecertifcateandthecertifcatewillaccompanytheseedtoitsdestination.Oncearrivingatitsdestinationthequalityotheseedisclearlyrepresentedinastructuredconvenientandamiliarwayontheaccompanyingcertifcate.Theseedmayundergoyetanotherroundotestingbyagovernmentlaboratoryorthesakeocheckingcompliancewiththegoverninglocalregulations.IntotalISTAprovidesthemethodsusedorqualitycontrolortheseedproducersellerthesamemethodsthatwillbeusedbythegovernmentlabenorcingcompliancewiththegoverningregulationsbothoperatingunderthesamestandardsthataredeinedbyISTAsaccreditationandallexpressingtheresultsinaclearandcommonlanguageontheISTAcertifcate.Thisharmonisationinmethodologyandmodeocommunicationisthecornerstoneotheseedtrade.ThisclearlypaintsthepictureotheimportanceoISTAanditsroleasaacilitatorointernationalseedmovementandtrade.Thefrstandbyarbiggestbenefciaryothisharmonisationprocessistheseedindustry.EuropeanSeedspokewithseveralmembersotheindustrytocollecttheirperspectivesontheroleoISTAintheseedindustryandstrengthsomembershipISTAsecretary-generalBeniKaumanISTASupportCrucialKnowingtheindustry-widebenefitsofharmonisedseedtestingmethodologiesISTAhaslaunchedanewmembershipcategorytoencourageindustryengagement.BYMARCELBRUINSANDMARCZIENKIEWICZFormoreinormationvisitwww.seedtest.orgenseed-science-and-tech-nology-_content---1--1084.html