5 PRESIDENT’S REPORT SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2026 These two values will guide us as we work towards achieving faster availability of seed health methods in the ISTA Rules. While the ECOM’s initial focus has been on Goals 1 and 2, our work in this triennium is just beginning. Under Goal 3, we are exploring how we can further ‘strengthen and adapt the accreditation system’ to better serve our laboratories. We have also tasked our Technical Committees to continue their vital work under Goal 4 (strengthen science and technology) to ensure our methods remain at the cutting edge of seed science. “... The ECOM has established a Strategic Advisory Panel [which] consists of a variety of distinguished leaders from seed trade, the financial sector, academia and related fields, whose task is to provide insight and advice to the ECOM on new developments in politics, finance and seed technology that may be of interest to ISTA.” Our commitment to Goal 5, to ‘seek and understand the needs of members and stakeholders’, will be an ongoing process. The feedback we gathered in India, as well as the partnerships we are building in Latin America allowed us to see the significant potential of this area related to the expansion of seed testing capacity; strengthening of laboratory quality systems; and industry enthusiasm for fostering greater regional collaborations. During the ECOM meeting, members engaged in high-level discussions with government officials and industry leaders. These decision makers consistently stressed the critical importance of ISTA’s mission to their national seed quality improvement efforts. The meetings reinforced the need for ISTA to remain flexible and responsive to the specific needs of Asia and other emerging regions, ensuring the ISTA Rules and our accreditation systems facilitate rather than hinder the growth we are witnessing. ISTA maintains over 253 member laboratories and 163 accredited laboratories in 81 countries and distinct economies. Even with this broad network of expertise, we rely on support and collaborations from international partners to maximise ISTA’s reach. Leveraging our resources with those of our international partners to accomplish ISTA’s mission has been the second major focus for the ECOM and supports the collaborative directive in Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan: specifically, creating alliances to encourage scientifically sound rules that are adaptable to seed sector needs. For many countries today, those needs revolve around improving global uniformity of seed health testing. The ECOM has initiated exploratory discussions with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and relevant National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs). Our aim is to streamline the review process for emergency seed health method approval. We are also looking at ways to improve the current method validation process for seed health proposals in the ISTA Rules. We recognise that seed testing often creates a bottleneck in our world of rapid seed movement. We also acknowledge that accuracy and scientific integrity is essential. and Africa, are the first steps in the information gathering process. As a second step, the ECOM has established a Strategic Advisory Panel. This panel consists of a variety of distinguished leaders from seed trade, the financial sector, academia and related fields, whose task is to provide insight and advice to the ECOM on new developments in politics, finance and seed technology that may be of interest to ISTA. These committed professionals aim to ensure that the ECOM is well informed about any future opportunity or potential risk to our Association. Finally, ‘thoughtful and transparent management of ISTA affairs’ (Goal 6) remains the foundation upon which all these activities will take place. I characterise the beginning of this triennium as focused and collaborative. We have planted the seeds for significant growth in Latin America through our agreement with IICA; cultivated a road map for change in Africa; and improved our collaborations in the Asian market. Your new ECOM is not looking for headlines; we are focused on improving the global seed trade through the effective execution of the Association’s Strategic Plan. The ECOM stands united in its purpose, and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. I look forward to reporting further progress at this year’s Annual Meeting from 22–25 June in Calgary, Canada. See you there! “The [ECOM] visit [to India] also allowed us to see the significant potential of this area related to the expansion of seed testing capacity; strengthening of laboratory quality systems; and industry enthusiasm for fostering greater regional collaborations.”
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