Programs & Services

AOSCA provides a wide range of programs to help its clients meet the demands of today’s agricultural marketplace. With member agencies on three continents, AOSCA offers a broad network of organizations to coordinate the delivery services that enhance and certify the quality of seed and crop propagating materials. Cooperation among member agencies assures uniform quality from field inspection through laboratory testing.

Crop Standards

AOSCA was founded on the development and adoption of crop standards for all crops eligible for seed certification. Crop standards that are established by AOSCA serve as minimum standards for its member agencies. Each member agency can adjust AOSCA standards to be more stringent to fit the needs of their agency as needed.

All standards start with a standards proposal sponsored by a member agency. Each proposal travels through a series of meetings giving all member agencies and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input. AOSCA is quite unique in the ability to be responsive to the industry with our standards setting process. Most standards proposals or adjustments can be made within a one year meeting rotation. Currently, AOSCA has crop standards for approximately 70 crop kinds!

Seed Certification

Certified seed is seed of a known variety produced under strict seed certification standards to maintain varietal purity. Seed lots must also meet specified standards for other crops, inert matter, weed seeds, and germination. Certified seed is also free from prohibited noxious weed seeds. All certified seed must pass field inspection, be conditioned by an approved seed conditioning plant, and then be sampled and pass laboratory testing before it can be sold as certified seed. For more information about certified seed visit our seed certification page.

Quality Assurance, Identity Preserved and Other Service Inspection Programs

Other Service Inspection Programs are offered by many of AOSCA’s member agencies. These program as typically third-party field inspection services for seed production and related products. To find more about the capabilities of certification agency near you visit the Contact Us page.

Identity Preserved

Identify Preserved (IP) usually refers to maintaining records of a varieties production to include field inspections, storage, conditioning, shipping, and manufacturing. Usually these varieties have specific characteristics sought by end users. AOSCA member agencies offering this program will typically design this program to fit the end user’s needs. The IP logo is used to identify products that have met specific requirements designed to preserve the genetic and/or physical identity of the product.

Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance (QA) provides a uniform and unbiased quality control system and marketing tool for crop seeds that cannot be verified and merchandised as a class of certified seed (varieties, hybrids, brands or blends). Products entering a QA program must show proof of origin of seed and be approved by a certifying agency. Field and Seed Standards are in place for all crops eligible for the QA program. Seed is labeled with a green QA tag (a registered trademark) once passing laboratory reports are obtained.