The Australian Seeds Authority - Who We Are and What We Do
The Australian Seeds Authority (ASA) is responsible for controlling seed certification in Australia, and oversights two certification schemes:
- the OECD Schemes for the Varietal Certification or the Control of Seed Moving in International Trade, and
- the Australian Seed Certification Scheme
ASA is licensed by the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to undertake the role of the National Designated Authority for the OECD seed schemes, and, at the request of the Australian seed industry, operates the Australian Seed Certification Scheme which is used principally for seed not destined for export.
The rules of the Australian Seed Certification Scheme are essentially the same as for the OECD seed schemes, with only a few differences in the requirements for post-control testing.
ASA in turn licenses three certification agencies, Seed Services Australia, AsureQuality and Agwest Plant Laboratories, through formal Authorisation Agreements to undertake the day to day operations of seed certification. Each of these seed certification agencies is required to achieve, and maintain, accreditation with NATA (the National Association of Testing Authorities) for their management and record systems to ensure that they are meeting the requirements of ASA in conducting seed certification programs which comply with the rules of the OECD and the Australian Seed Certification schemes.
ASA also co-ordinates official Australian interaction with the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) on international seed testing policy and practice, and has signed Authorisation Agreements with four ISTA-accredited laboratories to test certified seed prior to its final release as certified seed.
ASA has established two committees to assist in its operations.
The ASA Technical Advisory Committee (ASATAC) is composed of representatives of certification agencies and the seed industry and provides advice on technical matters to the ASA Board.
The Public Variety Maintenance Panel (PVMP) is responsible for oversighting Maintenance Agreements on older public varieties for which the breeder is no longer willing or able to continue a supply of Basic Seed of varieties for which there is an ongoing demand for certified seed. Further information on ASATAC and PVMP is available elsewhere on this site.
ASA is a not-for-profit company, jointly established in 2002 by the Australian Seed Federation (ASF), and the Grains Council of Australia (GCA). With the demise of the GCA in 2009, Grain Producers Australia (GPA) is now the seed grower body jointly sharing control of ASA.
ASA has a Board of 7 Directors, a CEO and an Executive Officer and reports to DAFF and to ASF and GPA.
Contact details for ASA are: Postal address: PO Box 187 Lindfield, NSW 2070. CEO email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
News from Australian Seeds Authority
Education and Training Program
ASA has been successful in gaining funds from the NSW Department of Education and Community to develop training and assessment material for our new Certificate III in Commercial Seed Processing. We hope to be able to appoint an experienced consultant in the near future to prepare this material, which we anticipate being available by September.
The intention is then to deliver this material to staff at two seed processing plants in NSW in a pilot to test the material and ensure it meets seed industry needs and requirements. At this stage we have not finalised those arrangements, but ASA is confident we will get the funding and the right organisation to deliver the pilot. Once it has been completed, there will be at least 10 staff who have the qualification, and the courses and training material can be delivered nationally.
We are also progressing on two more qualifications – one for seed growers, agronomists, field inspectors and so on, and a further one for seed analysts. The proposed units of competence for these qualifications have been made available for public comment, and are now being amended to address those comments. Then they will be submitted to the national and state training authorities for accreditation, and they will become nationally recognised qualifications.
We should re-iterate that ASA funds are not being used for this initiative.
Standard Rules for Subterranean Clover Certification
ASA has been working with the certification agencies for several years to develop a standard, national set of rules for sub clover seed certification. The proposed rules were recently endorsed by ASF and will soon be put in place. They include a transition period of 4 years to allow the industry to adjust to the new rules.
The new rules will be available soon on the ASA website: http://aseeds.net.au/
Use of Authorised Inspectors for Pre-Basic and Basic Seed Crops
The OECD recently amended its rules to allow Authorised Inspectors to inspect seed crops of the pre-basic and basic generations. However the European Union cannot accommodate this new rule until it changes it seed laws, as it requires these generations of seed crops to be inspected by Official Inspectors. Until the EU changes its seed laws, all pre-basic and basic seed imported into the EU must carry a statement from the certification authority of the country of origin that the seed crop has been inspected by Official Inspectors. 
The EU process for changing its laws will mean that it will be at least two years, and probably 3 or 4 years, before it can change its seed law to accommodate this change in the OECD rules.
ASA asked the ASF and GPA how it wanted to respond to this situation, and the ASF has decided it wants to allow companies to use Authorised Inspectors on pre-basic and basic seed crops where they want to and are able to, but that companies will have to be aware that this will prevent that pre- basic and basic seed being sold into the EU.
Any company or grower wanting pre-basic or basic seed crops to be inspected for OECD certification will have to decide whether there is any chance they may want to sell that seed into the EU. If there is any chance that this might happen, they will have to request an Official Inspector from the certification agency of their choice. Further information can be obtained from ASA- authorised seed certification agencies. Lindsay Cook CEO Australian Seeds Authority March 2012