Provision of Increased Seed Testing for ISTA OIC's

European Union legislation and international treaties provide a framework for registration of new varieties of the main agricultural and vegetable crop species (National Listing), plant variety rights and certification of seed. The objectives are to facilitate the breeding of improved varieties, provide farmers with information about variety performance and to assure the quality of marketed seed.

Following the UK vote to leave the EU, the way UK seed is marketed in the EU will change. When transition period ends on 31 December 2020, the UK will need to market (export) seed under third country equivalence with the EU and under OECD seed certification. This requires additional seed testing capacity to issue International Seed Testing Association Orange International Certificates (ISTA OICs) to accompany Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) certified seed and to show that EU Rules and Standards have been met.