Why Become Accredited?

The NSHS enables non-government agencies such as seed companies to carry out seed sampling, inspection, or laboratory testing for the issuance of phytosanitary certification.

There are four accreditation options:

1. Seed Health Testing
2. Phytosanitary Inspection
3. Seed Sampling for Seed Health Testing
4. Visual Inspection of Seed for Phytosanitary Certification

This can have major logistical benefits in eliminating delays in the process of shipping seed lots, resulting in a more efficient business model and better inspection facilitate logistical planning and can help avoid shipping delays.

Timely reporting of field and test data

• Prevents potential for mixing crops from infected fields with non-infected fields.
• Allows early estimation of eligible production for export.
• Facilitates accelerated breeding and quick inventory movements.
• Data are reported in a standardized format.
• Prompt reporting of field inspection data: external inspectors usually have 10-120 day delays in reporting.
• Well trained internal inspectors can quickly identify and isolate infected fields and implement containment and eradication measures.

Timeliness of documents for shipping

• NSHS visual inspections can be scheduled the day prior to containerization.
• Companies that conduct their own visual inspections no longer have to wait to request them until the inventory is on the warehouse floor. They can schedule containers and shipments around state inspections.
• Reduces cross-docking.

Accurate inspections and tests performed by trained personnel

• Inspectors are trained and tested for disease identification expertise
• Trained laboratory technicians supervised by qualified plant pathologists

Workforce development-improving talents of employees

• Improves in-house skills in field scouting, pest diagnostics, inspection and sampling methodologies.
   

Accredited entities (AEs) are any public or private organization (or individual) that meets the requirements for accreditation as outlined in the Standard. AEs will be allowed to perform only those seed health tests and/or field inspection procedures for which they have been accredited. AEs shall submit to a regular program of surveillance audits and proficiency testing as required by the Administrator. Organizations that are eligible to become accredited include:

• Seed Company
• Private Seed Testing Company
• Private Agricultural Consultancy
• Certification Agency
• State Agency
• University Laboratory
• Other organizations

Current Accredited Entity Listing (PDF)