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ISTA Customer Guide - What You Need To Know    

The OSU Seed Lab is Accredited for ISTA Seed testing, issuing ISTA Certificates and for Authorizing ISTA Samplers. Our current ISTA Scope of Accreditation for is listed on the ISTA Website. Please note that we are not currently Accredited for testing mixtures or flower seed germination. 

Customer Responsibility:

If you are seeking an International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) Certificate, you are responsible for knowing what type of ISTA Certificate you need which depends on what is required by your buyer and the importing country/importer. We recommend you consult import requirements of the receiving country and the buyer. If you already know that you will need an Orange Lot ISTA Certificate it is important to know that there are many other requirements that you will need to follow to have a valid Orange Lot ISTA Certificate.

Whether you need a Blue Sample ISTA Certificate or an Orange Lot ISTA Certificate, the seed testing is the same. Read the following information that explains the differences between the Blue and Orange. It is important that you read the rest of this page to understand your responsibilities. You will also need to contact the Lab to navigate the lot and/or sample process. 

What are ISTA Certificates?

ISTA Seed Testing results can be reported on an ISTA Certificate. There are two different types of certificates explained below. The Seed Testing is conducted and reported exactly the same and does not depend on the certificate type. 

 Many seed-importing countries require an ISTA Certificate issued by an ISTA accredited laboratory. An ISTA certificate from the originating country can be used to verify acceptability by the importer before the seed is shipped, and may speed the process through customs and quarantine, preventing potential delays and economic problems for the shipper and/or the importer. 

What are the types of ISTA Certificates?

Orange Lot ISTA Certificate (OIC)

An OIC is a test report that represent the entire seed lot. There are several things that the ISTA Rules requires specifically of an Orange Lot ISTA Certificate which includes:

  1. The species must have established ISTA Rules and be included in the species list found in Chapter 2 of the ISTA Rules or the ISTA Sampling Calculator.
  2. The size of the lot may not exceed the maximum lot size listed for the species in the ISTA Rules. That information can also be found in Chapter 2 of the ISTA Rules or the ISTA Sampling Calculator.
  3. The lot identification must be unique and must not be used for another valid OIC.
  4. The seal of the lot must be tamper evident. 
  5. The seed cannot be further processed or treated after sampling. 
  6. The lot must be sampled by an authorized ISTA Sampler. 
    • Re-packaging is only allowed provided that the identity of the seed in the initial Orange lot is preserved, the lot number does not change, there is no processing of the seed, AND an ISTA sampler is present during the entire process.

How to request your Orange Lot to be sampled:

  1. First become an OSU Seed Lab customer and obtain online access to the OSU Seed Services website.
  2. With your Login and PIN, log on to the Seed Services site and create the ISTA Orange Sample Certificate. 
  3. Request sampling by an authorized ISTA Sampler. Oregon, Washington and Idaho State Ag Departments have OSU Seed Lab trained ISTA Samplers. Send a copy of the Orange Lot Sample Certificate pdf with the sampling request. (Samplers charge their own fees separate from the Lab testing fees.) The Lab also can train company ISTA Samplers as needed. 
  4. When the sampler arrives at the warehouse, the lot needs to be already set down, accessible, and ready for sampling. 

The ISTA Sampler will verify all information about the Orange Lot Sample request including the lot size, lot identification, tamper evident seal of the lot. They will then take a representative sample according to the ISTA rules. The ISTA sampler is responsible for submitting to the Lab for ISTA Testing and/or sealing it with a taper evident seal to ensure the integrity for shipment to the Lab. 

  • If for some reason the lot cannot meet ISTA sampling requirements, it may be possible to issue a Blue Sample ISTA Certificate instead.

Blue Sample ISTA Certificate (BIC)

A BIC is a test report that represent the seed sample (and not the entire seed lot). The requirements for BICs is minimal:

  1. The species must have established ISTA Rules and be included in the species list found in Chapter 2 of the ISTA Rules or by using the ISTA Sampling Calculator.
  2. There are no limitation in the size of the lot.
  3. There are no requirement for the lot number.
  4. There are no requirement for the seal of the lot. The only seal that can be listed on the BIC is the seal of the sample, if applicable.
  5. Processing or treating the lot after sampling cannot be reflected on the BIC since the BIC reflects the results of the sample. 
  6. There are no requirement for who draws the sample.
    • There are no limitations on Re-packaging.

How to send in your Blue ISTA Sample:

  1. First become an OSU Seed Lab customer and obtain online access to the OSU Seed Services website.
  2. With your Login and PIN, log on to the Seed Services site and create the ISTA Blue Sample Certificate. 

You will provide the seed sample with the Blue Sample Certificate to the Lab for ISTA testing. You may request sampling, but it is not required for ISTA Blue Sample Certificates. You may also request ISTA testing on file samples that are already at the Lab. If you would like to add ISTA testing to a file sample aready at the Lab, create the Blue Sample Certificate, and email the pdf to the Lab. 

What are Provisional, Original, Duplicate Sub Lot certificates?

  • Provisional Certificates are issued before the completion of all requested tests (e.g. a purity result before germination is complete).
  • Original Certificates are issued upon the completion of all tests.
  • Duplicates are exact copies of the Original and are identical to the Original in every way except the serial number and date issued. One Original certificate will be supplied for each sample tested; you must request Provisional and Duplicate Certificates. All certificates state their status.
  • Sub Lot Certificates can be issued for xxxx..

What are the ISTA Seed Quality Standards? 

The US State Seed Certification programs have seed quality standards. In contrast, ISTA does not have seed quality standards such as minimum purity or germination requirements. The purity or germination levels are dependent on your customers' needs. The ISTA Certificate will report the quality data results of your seed. 

  • Only tests for which the Lab is accredited, or tests not in the ISTA Rules (must be accompanied by at least one test that is in the rules), can be reported on an ISTA certificate.
  • If you want the following information on your certificate, you have to request it:
    • Common names (scientific names are always provided)
    • Crops and weeds separated in the purity or OSD
    • Percentages for crops and weeds (a seed count is provided for the OSD)

What are my next steps to get an ISTA Certificate?

What to expect testing and reporting XXX.

Delivery of ISTA Certificates

ISTA Certificates are mailed unless a customer requests to pick them up in person. Certificates may only be given to the person listed on the certificate or an authorized company representative. Standard OSU and ISTA preliminary analysis reports are provided via the Oregon State University Seed Services website

Learn more about ISTA by visiting the ISTA website.