April 1, 2004
Iowa State University's Seed Testing Lab has reached a first-in-the-nation milestone. It is the first seed-testing laboratory on a university campus to receive ISO 9001:2000 certification.
The International Organization for Standardization, known as ISO, is a network of national standards used in 148 countries. The standards set during ISO certification ensure that participating organizations follow a series of procedures that assure the quality of its products and services.
"ISO certification means the quality of our internal processes has been verified by a third party," said Dan Curry, seed lab manager. "This is an internationally recognized quality management system that assures our customers the utmost in seed quality analysis."
The certification was conducted by Orion Registrar Inc., which is internationally accredited by the United States Registrar Accreditation Board, the Standards Council of Canada and the Dutch Council for Accreditation. All are recognized throughout the world for quality and environmental program accreditation.
Although the auditing process took more than 18 months, the registration process began earlier with a detailed profile and assessment of the seed lab.
"Orion looked at our quality manual, documentation and records to analyze if we were doing what we said we were doing," Curry said. "This is an important aspect of our service because we test seed samples for germination, purity, health and GMO content."
Orion will continue to periodically monitor the Seed Testing Lab over the next three years. The lab is responsible for upholding the standards associated with the certification. The lab must inform Orion of any changes in its quality practices and report any customer communication about products or services.
"This ensures that we are more customer focused, which is the underlying goal of the certification," Curry said. "Third-party verification of the lab will ensure that the lab meets the ISO standards."
The certification is a quality assurance system that has been adopted by thousands of companies worldwide. Curry said he thinks more seed industry companies will work towards attaining certification in the future. For more information on the Seed Testing Lab, go to http://www.seeds.iastate.edu/seedtest/.