Seed Info 28, January 2005

S E E D I N F O

Official Newsletter of the WANA Seed Network

No. 28, January 2005

PDF File (487 KB)
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How To____________________________________________________________________
In this section we provide technical/practical information that seed sector staff may find useful. The guidelines are simple instructions for technical staff involved in seed production and quality control.

How to No 30: Maintaining the Independence of Accredited Seed Testing Laboratories

The independence of seed testing laboratories is a basic requirement for obtaining and maintaining ISTA accreditation. The main purpose is to counteract any potential negative influences of external factors on test results. To satisfy the ISTA accreditation for independence, the seed testing laboratories seeking to obtain ISTA accreditation have to provide the ISTA auditors with evidence on:

•	Autonomy of the laboratory with a very clear organizational chart including its affiliations
•	Cost of services provided by maintaining a published price list
•	Non-discrimination of customers by having and abiding by a clear policy for fair client treatment
•	Procedures of handling gifts and promotional presents by having and abiding by a clear code of conduct
•	Clear staff remuneration policies by maintaining salary scales for all staff
•	Clear rules for changing priorities of work by having well established procedures for planning
•	Centralized contact with clients clearly stated in job descriptions of staff members

The auditors will check whether the laboratory adheres to the principles of independence by checking the documents mentioned above and verifying through error surveys, customer complaints and correction action files. Abdoul Aziz Niane, Seed Unit, ICARDA, P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria; E-mail: a.niane@cgiar.org