b'Why Seed Certification is theBest-Kept SecretI RECENTLY BECAMEpresident of thechanges from all the ISTA laboratories in Canada is one International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). Itsof the things I do to ensure Canadian labs have input a role Im really looking forward to in an effort to put ainto ISTAs work. renewed focus on the importance of seed analysts inAt the recent ISTA meeting In Hyderabad, India, the Canada. membership voted on changes to the ISTA Rulessee I currently work for the Canadian Food Inspectionseedtest.org for details. Every three years ISTA also Agency (CFIA) in Saskatoon as the Diagnostic Testincludes a scientific symposium during its meeting. The Supervisor for the Seed Certification Testing Unit insymposium was held this year.STEVE JONES,the Seed Science & Technology Section (SSTS) of the President,Saskatoon Laboratory. International SeedMy journey to the CFIA started in England where I Testing Association worked in horticulture, forestry and agriculture for more than 30 years. In 2008, I moved to Canada and started work at the CFIA.Though we need breeders to develop new I first attended an ISTA meeting in 2001, serving as the rules chaira position I held until 2018. Duringvarieties and crops, we also need scientistsmy involvement with ISTA I have been a member ofand technicians able to test them and help various technical committees, chaired working groups and since 2004 I have been part of the ISTA Executiveachieve ISTAs mission statement,Committee (ECOM). In 2016 I became an ISTA technicalUniformity in Seed Testing. auditor and have the great opportunity to audit some of the 138 ISTA-accredited labs worldwide.In my current ISTA role I regularly raise awareness regarding topics of interest to the ISTA-accredited labs in Canada, the United States and Mexico. ISTA encourages science-based solutions and ISTA Contributionsinvites seed scientists, analysts and technologists The main reason ISTA was established in 1924 wasworldwide from over 70 countries to become involved to provide internationally-accepted methods thatvia its 20 technical committees to exchange ideas and official laboratories could use to ensure quality seedsupport the seed industry.was marketed and traded internationally. ISTA is non- Techniques for sampling, vigor testing, GMO detec-governmental but formed from the official seed testingtion, varietal purity and seed identification are some laboratories as a technical association, so testing rulesexamples of what ISTA laboratories and the ISTA Rules and bylaws are voted on by member countries/distinctcover. These methods can be used by other parts of economies.the seed and grain industry as the basis for detecting One country/distinct economy gets one vote,weed seeds, varietal impurities and ensuring the qual-so getting views on proposals for seed testing ruleity of seed in the marketplace.52/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2019'