Skip to Content
ASTA LogoASTA Logo
  • Membership
    • Join ASTA
    • Student Membership
    • Committees and Working Groups
    • Committee Sign Up Form
  • E-news
  • Contact
Member Login
  • The Issues
    • Intellectual Property Rights
    • State
    • Federal
    • Innovation and Policy
    • Organic
    • Phytosanitary
    • Seed Treatment and Environment
    • Environmental and Conservation Seed
    • International
    • Sustainability
  • About ASTA
    • Who We Are
    • Leadership
    • Committees and Divisions
    • ASTA Staff
    • Industry Honors
    • ASTA’s Seed Industry Heritage Award 
    • ASTA Mentorship Award
    • ASTA Annual Report
    • ASTA Strategic Plan
    • Anti-Trust Statement
    • Affiliated Organizations
    • State and Regional Seed Associations
    • Career Opportunities
  • News
    • COVID-19
    • News Releases
    • Domestic Policy
    • International News
    • Industry News
    • ASTA News
    • Member News
    • State News
    • Federal News
    • Meetings & Education News
    • Other News
    • Media
  • Events
    • ASTA Events
    • Calendar of Events
    • ASTA Sponsorship Opportunities
    • #JustGrowIt
  • Resources
    • Seed Industry FAQ’s
    • ASTA Farm Bill Priorities
    • Treated Seeds
    • Hemp
    • What’s in a bag?
    • University Seed Programs
    • The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship
    • Environment and Conservation Seed Companies
    • Acronyms
    • Trade Leads
    • ReFreSH Draft Concept Paper
    • Submit A Classified Ad
    • Retailers Guide for Proper Handling & Storage of Lawn Seed Products
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Intellectual Property Rights
  • State
  • Federal
  • Innovation and Policy
  • Organic
  • Phytosanitary
  • Seed Treatment and Environment
  • Environmental and Conservation Seed
  • International
  • Sustainability

Phytosanitary

  • Home 
  • The Issues
  • Phytosanitary
Tweet

Issues

  • Phytosanitary Regulations
  • Phytosanitary Changes in Other Countries
  • Food Safety (FS)
  • National Seed Health System (NSHS)
  • International Sanitary Phytosanitary Measure for Seed
  • International Year of Plant Health

Back to Top

Phytosanitary Regulations

National Plant Protection Offices (NPPO) around the world frequently publish notifications through the World Trade Organization of new, or changes in, their phytosanitary import requirements and regulations for seeds. USDA APHIS also publishes notifications in the Federal Register and often provides ASTA draft copies prior to official postings for comments. ASTA monitors these notifications closely and submits official comments through proper channels. ASTA solicits input from its members by sending notices to the Phytosanitary Committee, Vegetable Technical Subcommittee, Emerging Diseases Subcommittee, and divisions as appropriate, and maintains a database of notices out for comment, ASTA official comments, and resulting regulations once finalized.

Resources:

[/member]

Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus Federal Order
Tomato and Pepper Seed Federal Order

 


Back to Top

Phytosanitary Changes in Other Countries

ASTA closely monitors changes in phytosanitary import requirements of other countries. Countries communicate changes through the USDA, WTO notices, import permits, and indirectly through arbitrary shipment rejections. Working closely with USDA APHIS and Foreign Agricultural Service, ASTA seeks to eliminate technically unjustified trade barriers, most of which are related to phytosanitary.


Back to Top

Food Safety (FS)

Food safety is of high importance to ASTA and its members. Although seed has never been proven scientifically as a source of human pathogens in fresh produce and vegetables, ASTA is vigilant in examining human pathogen outbreaks. The Food Safety Pathogen Working Group was formed to monitor outbreaks, research any proposed state and federal legislation that may impact seed and communicate relevant information to the ASTA membership. The working group maintains a database of published research papers on the ASTA website that support our position that testing vegetable seeds for presence of human pathogens will not contribute to food safety in any meaningful way.

Resources:

ASTA Statement on Field and Greenhouse Planted Seeds and Human Pathogens

Food Safety Research Paper Database


Back to Top

National Seed Health System (NSHS)

The National Seed Health System (NSHS) is a program authorized by USDA-APHIS and administered by the Iowa State University Seed Science Center to accredit both private and public entities to perform certain activities needed to support the issuance of Federal phytosanitary certificates for the international movement of seed. Activities for which entities can obtain accreditation include:

  • Laboratory seed health testing: laboratory-based program to test for plant pathogens in seeds;
  • Phytosanitary (growing season field) inspection: disease inspection of plants grown to produce seed in the field, nursery, or greenhouse;
  • Seed sampling: sampling seeds that requires laboratory seed health testing; and
  • Visual inspection: visual inspection of seed shipments at exporter’s facility prior to issuance of phytosanitary certificates.

Through the NSHS, new testing and diagnostic methods are incorporated into the accreditation program to maintain the program on the cutting edge of technology. The NSHS also serves as a resource for pest risk assessment and phytosanitary resolution whenever disputes arise that disrupt the international movement of seed.

Resources:

National Seed Health System (NSHS)


Back to Top

International Standard Phytosanitary Measure for Seed

On April 6, 2017, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) adopted the draft International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) for the movement of seeds. The ISPM provides guidance to NPPOs on how to best determine the phytosanitary risk associated with international seed movements, as well as provides criteria for harmonizing import requirements and export/re-export procedures, taking into account the unique needs of commercial seed as well as a seed used for research, breeding, and multiplication. For more information on the standard please contact ASTA.

Resources:

ISPM International Movement Of Seeds

Annex Proposal_Final

 


Back to Top

International Year of Plant Health 

The United Nations General Assembly has designated 2020 to be the International Year of Plant Health (IYPH)! IYPH seeks to bring greater attention to the vital role plant health plays in ending hunger, reducing poverty, protecting the environment and boosting economic development.

The seed industry plays a critical role in ensuring plant health by implementing strong phytosanitary practices at every stage of seed production – from lab, to field, to market.

Resources:

Phytosanitary Risk Model
VIDEO – Seed Quality Management: A Systems Approach
International Year of Plant Health Website
IYPH Communications Resources

Resources

Known Pests and Diseases

ASTA Pest Database for Seeds (PeDS)
Plant Disease Guides

Seed Quality Management

Phyto-Risk Model

Phytosanitary Certification

APHIS Phytosanitary Certification Issuance and Tracking System (PCIT) webpage on applications process for a Federal phytosanitary certificate

APHIS Phytosanitary Export Database (PExD) provides phytosanitary import requirements of most countries

USDA AMS Seed Regulatory and Testing located in Gastonia, NC

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

APHIS International Services

International Organizations

NAPPO (North American Plant Protection Organization)

International Plant Protection Commission

National Plant Board (State Plant Regulatory Officials)

Seed Association of the Americas (SAA)

Seed Testing, Certification and Regulatory Organizations

Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA)

Seed Testing and Accreditation Schemes

Society of Commercial Seed Technologists (SCST)

Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA)

Association of American Seed Control Officials (AASCO)

State Seed Resources

Scroll
  • ASTA Events
  • Who We Are
  • Membership
  • ASTA Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn

Copyright 2020 - American Seed Trade Association - 1701 Duke Street, Suite 275, Alexandria, VA 22314

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Please indicate your acceptance of our cookie policy. Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • Welcome
    • Log In
  • The Issues
  • Intellectual Property Rights
  • State
  • Federal
  • Innovation and Policy
  • Organic
  • Phytosanitary
  • Seed Treatment and Environment
  • Environmental and Conservation Seed
  • International
  • Sustainability
  • About ASTA
  • Who We Are
  • Leadership
  • Committees and Divisions
  • ASTA Staff
  • Industry Honors
  • ASTA’s Seed Industry Heritage Award 
  • ASTA Annual Report
  • ASTA Strategic Plan
  • Anti-Trust Statement
  • Affiliated Organizations
  • State and Regional Seed Associations
  • Career Opportunities
  • News
  • News Releases
  • Media
  • Events
  • ASTA Events
  • Calendar of Events
  • ASTA Sponsorship Opportunities
  • Resources
  • Key Seed Laws
  • University Seed Programs
  • Lawn Seed Handling Guide
  • The Guide to Seed Quality Management
  • The Guide to Seed Treatment Stewardship
  • Seed Industry FAQs
  • Seed Testing and Accreditation Schemes
  • Simple Sequence Markers
  • CGMMV Brochure
  • Acronyms
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Membership
  • Join ASTA
  • Committees and Working Groups
  • Committee Sign Up Form
  • E-News
  • Contact