SEED SCIENCE AND EDUCATION
E
very bag of seed you develop, produce, test or ship 
represents years of innovation inventement and 
commitment. 
When those seeds cross international borders, they 
carry something just as valuable as genetics.
 For the past 25 years, the National Seed Health 
System (NSHS) has been helping you protect that 
reputation.
Whether you’re a seed company opening new 
export markets, a laboratory delivering accurate 
diagnostics, a researcher developing better testing 
methods, or a regulator working to safeguard agricul­
ture, you’re part of a system built on one common goal: 
ensuring healthy seed can move safely and confidently 
around the world.
Administered by the Iowa State University Seed 
Science Center under the authorization of USDA APHIS, 
the NSHS exists because the seed industry recognized 
that science, consistency, and collaboration are essen­
tial to maintaining global trust. Today, that partnership is 
stronger than ever.
When the program launched in August, 2001, five 
organizations earned accreditation. Today, 28 accredited 
entities work together under a common framework that 
gives international customers confidence in U.S. seed. 
That confidence doen’t happen by accident. It’s earned 
every day by the people throughout our industry who are 
committed to producing healthy, high quality seed.
Challenges facing seed movement have changed 
dramatically over the past two decades. Global trade 
continues to expand. New pathogens emerge. Climate 
conditions shift. Import requirements evolve. Yet your 
customers still expect the same thing: confidence 
that every shipment meets the highest phytosanitary 
standards.
That’s why continuous innovation matters.
Together, we’re advancing faster molecular diagnos­
tics, validating new testing methods, and developing 
technologies that improve both speed and accuracy. 
Current work on seed extract qPCR assays for diseases 
such as Goss’s Wilt is just one example of how industry, researchers, and 
regulators continue to work side by side to solve tomorrow’s challenges 
before they become tomorrow’s barriers.
The work happening beyond our borders is just as important. 
Collaborations with organizations like the International Seed Health Initiative 
(ISHI) and the International Seed Testing 
Association (ISTA), help shape internation­
ally harmonized testing standards that 
reduce unnecessary trade barriers 
while maintaining strong plant 
health protections.
That collaboration benefits 
everyone, from seed compa­
nies and farmers to regulators 
and, ultimately, consumers 
around the world.
As we celebrate the 25th 
anniversary of the National 
Seed Health System, this 
milestone belongs to you. It 
belongs to the companies 
that embraced accreditation, 
the laboratories that upheld 
rigorous standards, the 
scientists who continually 
improved diagnostics, and 
the regulators who believed 
that science should guide 
policy.
The next 25 years will bring 
new challenges, but they will also 
bring new opportunities. By continuing 
to invest in innovation, collaboration, and scientific 
excellence, you’re ensuring that U.S. seed remains among the most trusted 
in the world.
The National Seed Health System is more than a program. It’s a partner­
ship, and your commitment has made it one of the greatest success stories 
in global seed trade. Together, we’re not just protecting seeds. We’re pro­
tecting confidence, expanding opportunity, and strengthening the future of 
agriculture.
protecting seeds, strengthening 
	
	
global agriculture
Scott Heuchelin 
Professor and Director, Iowa State University, Seed Science Center
SEPTEMBER 2026  SEEDWORLD.COM /  25

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