By Chase Mowry, Seed Laboratory Manager
With summer upon us, submissions of samples for testing have begun to slow. Samples submitted for certification during the spring continued to show high quality across all crop groups. Samples continued to have few disease issues. The number of samples tested this year surpassed those of previous years—partly due to an increase in the number of service samples submitted. The lab also reached a milestone: We have tested 20,000 samples since reopening in 2016.
Our focus has begun to shift to other duties and responsibilities, when time allows. OECD soybean grow-outs have been organized and delivered for planting to conduct post-harvest evaluation of phenotypic traits in the field. We have placed orders for two new germinators and a seed blower. The review and revision of SOPs has started. Revisions to the fee schedule are also underway. We will also begin lab equipment calibrations once their respective due dates arrive, along with other accreditation requirements. We will send out our Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey via email in June to solicit your feedback on this past season. As previously, I will keep the survey minimal. It will only take a moment to complete if you choose to participate. We appreciate any feedback you provide us.
I am happy to announce that the MCIA Seed Laboratory is now a CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) Officially Recognized Foreign Seed Testing Laboratory. This recognition is based on the laboratory’s USDA ASL accreditation and successful completion, in April, of an evaluation regarding the Canadian Methods & Procedures for Testing Seed. In the future, you will notice some differences in how we report results for Canadian testing; they will more closely resemble the Canadian standardized report format.