Copyright ESA, 2013 © European Seed Association The following presentation serves as a reference or background slide deck that explains ESTA, the European.

Copyright ESA, 2013 ©European Seed Association

The following presentation serves as a reference or background slide deck that explains ESTA, the European Seed Treatment Assurance scheme;Relevant slides can also be used to discuss specific aspects of ESTA.The presentation consists of: (1) an introduction to the ESTA standard(2) dust(3) the governance structure(4) the general certification model and relations between ESTA and individual certifying bodies(5) an outline of next steps(6) a summary of the initiatives in France, Germany and the UK (7) An explanation of ESTA as an industry-driven certification system

Brussels, March 2013


European Seed Treatment and Treated Seed

Quality Assurance System


Scope:

• Seed treatment and treated seed

_______________________________________________

ESTA has been developed as a universal quality assurance system

Focus was (initially) on maize and oil seed rape + insecticides.

Further crops covered already: sugar beet and sunflower.

Next crops are cereals and open field-sown vegetables.


ESTA‘s scope

ESTA in one glance

Continual

improvement

Competent

personnel

Specific

requirements

Risk

analysis


Key aspects

1. Solid quality management system

2. Risk analysis

3. Business specific requirements

4. Proven competence of personnel

Treated seed from ESTA certified facilities will carry the ESTA logo as a quality seal

Focus:Continual

improvement


ESTA key aspects

Seed treatment plant

Seed supplier

Farmer

Grower

Plant raiser

Contractor

1

2

4 6 7

3

5

8Waste

management

Other suppliers

3rd party logisticsScope of ESTA certification

1: receive, store, transport seed

2: receive, store, transport other

3: prepare seed treatment mix

4: treat seed

5: sample and test

6: dry, package treated seed

7: pack, prepare for shipment

8: manage waste

ESTA: process approach


Well-described processes are the basis for:• Defining measurements (process control; quality assurance;

continual improvement)• Risk analysis (basis for risk management and continual

improvement)• And ultimately for the certification of the entire process

ESTA: processes, measurements, risks


• Crop-specific requirements on moisture and cleanliness of seed.• Proven stability/reliability of the seed treatment process (incl.

recipes & equipment).• Relevant documentation on correct and safe use available on-site.• Monitoring of the seed treatment process.• An aspiration system.• Reference samples of each treated seed lot.• Samples are tested at least for dust levels (Heubach test).• Labeling according to industry standards / legal requirements.• Transport companies should avoid temperature extremes, moisture

and rough handling.• Farmers have to be made aware of proper handling (including

limiting dust during drilling/planting, worker safety, avoid ingestion by animals, disposal of leftover seed and packaging materials).

Specific requirements


The industry dust reference values are published to assist the seed treatment industry to continually achieve safe treatments. Seed treating companies have to assure that treated seed meets the industry dust reference values.

It is noted that Member States may install legal dust limits different from the industry reference values

Industry dust reference values

Crop (seed) Dust reference value

Maize 0.75 g / 100,000 seeds

Oil seed rape 0.5 g / 700,000 seeds

Sugar beet 0.25 g / 100,000 seed pellets

Sunflower 0.4 g / 75,000 seeds


• Reference method: Heubach dust test – see ESA website http://www.euroseeds.org/esta-1

• In France: Cofrac accredited reference lab for Heubach test• In Germany: SGS certifies on code of practice for Heubach test

Industry labs must participate in ring tests (FR and DE)

Testing for dust: reference method


http://www.euroseeds.org/esta-1


ESTA governance

ESTA Standard

ESTA certifiedcompanies

Certifying bodies

Nat

ion

alC

entr

al

ESA (ESA Board)

ESTA manager

ESTA Board

Acceptance of Certifying Body

ESA STAT

There can be a (National) Agent coor-dinating at National level. In such cases acceptance of Certifying Bodies may be delegated to the national agent.

ESTA Technical Committee (TC)Advises on the standard and on changes/amendments of the standard.(also acts as body of technical experts)


Certification: general model

National Accrediting Authority

Audits/monitors compliance and grants

accreditation

Certifying body accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65 - ISO/EN 45011(General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems)

Accreditation authorities: Cofrac, RvA, UKAS, DAkkS, …

Accredited certification bodies: SGS, SOC, MPS-ECAS, PAI, Lloyds, Norske Veritas and so forth…


ESTA Structure

ESTA Standard

ESTA certified companies

Certifying bodies

ESTA Board

Natio

nal

Centra

lNational Accrediting

Authority

Audits/monitors compliance and grants

accreditation

Certifying body accredited to ISO/IEC Guide 65 - ISO/EN 45011(General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems)


ESTA Structure: two options

ESTA Standard


Certifying bodies

ESTA Board

(National) Agent

ESTA Standard


Certifying bodies

ESTA Board


Timeframe:

ESTA standard (1.2.1) has been approved 3 May 2012 and published on internet with all relevant further documentation: http://www.euroseeds.org/esta-1

Implementation has started; all seed treatment facilities in Germany (13; treating oil seed rape) and in France (21; treating maize) will be certified in 2013; for individual plants in other countries the certification process is under way.

Other steps:• Appointment of an ESTA manager based in Brussels• Fine-tuning of the ESTA standard: continual• Communication: continual


ESTA timeframe of implementation



German initiative: treatment of oil seed rape was 1st project

Cooperation BDP, BVL, JKI and SGS

All 13 seed treaters participate (2010) over 90% of seed used

Key aspects of checklist:• Calibration of equipment & recipes at beginning of season• Central aspiration at seed treatment plant• Before packaging: sieving, visual inspection, sampling• Voluntary monitoring: Heubach dust tests on random samples• Process description and documentation required• Well trained personnel

National initiatives: DE


Lfd. Nr. Prüfkriterium Erfüllungskriterium Status

1 Probebeizung und Funktionsprüfung bestehender Rezepturen

1.1 Wird bei jeder neuen Rezeptur eine Probebeizung durchgeführt?

Probebeizungen werden vor dem erstmaligen Einsatz einer neuen Rezeptur durchgeführt. Eine neue Rezeptur liegt vor beim Einsatz eines neuen Beizmittels oder neuen Zusatzstoffes oder beim Einsatz neuer Beizgerätetechnik. Die Probebeizungen werden solange wiederholt, bis die Rezepturen funktionieren.

k.o.

1.2 Werden bestehende Rezepturen einer regelmäßigen Funktionsprüfung unterzogen?

Funktionsprüfungen bestehender Rezepturen werden bei erstmaliger Verwendung der Rezeptur in der Saison und in sinnvollen Abständen (dem Produktionsrhythmus angepasst) durchgeführt.

k.o.

1.3 Wurden Rückstellmuster aus den Partien der Probebeizung entnommen?

Als Nachweis werden Rückstellproben der Probebeizung gezogen. Als Rückstellmenge werden 500 gr. benötigt.Die Proben müssen mindestens 6 Monate aufbewahrt werden.

k.o.

1.4 Wurden Proben auf Beizgrad untersucht?

Erläuterung: Beizgradbestimmung = Anlagerung des Mittels am Korn in % vom Sollaufwand.

k.

1.5 Wurden Proben auf Staubgehalt überprüft?

Mindestens visuelle Ermittlung des Grob- und Feinstaubs bei der Absackung, bzw. aus dem Sack direkt nach der Absackung.

k.o.

National initiatives: DE

Auszug Checkliste – Raps (fragment of oil seed rape checklist)


National initiatives: FR

French initiative: dust control of treated maize seed

Legal base: ordinances of Jan 13th 2009 and April 13th 2010

Cooperation UFS and GNIS-SOC (SOC certifies)

21 seed plants were audited (2010-2011) over 88% of seed usedKey aspects:• Process description + identification & control of risks• Dust level less than 3 g/100 kg seed• Sampling of every lot• 5 internal or external tests at the beginning of each new process• Internal or external tests of at least 10% of treated seed• Validation of recipes; calibration of measuring equipment• Aspiration of packaging line• Well trained personnel• Annual audit by SOC• Tests at random by reference lab


National initiatives: UK

UK initiative: implementation of the ESTA standard as an additional TASCC scheme (TASCC = trade assurance scheme for combinable crops)TASCC schemes are owned and managed by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC)TASCC schemes are an industry initiative


Other industry-driven quality systems exist

Examples are:• Trade Assurance Scheme for Combinable Crops (TASCC, UK)• GSPP (Good Seed & Plant Practices; international, driver FR, NL)• NAL (Naktuinbouw Accredited Laboratory; international)• Process Verified Programs (PVP, AMS-USDA)• National Seed Health System (NSHS, APHIS-USDA)• British Retail Consortium certification scheme (BRC, UK)• GLOBALG.A.P. (international)• ...

ESTA compared to...


• ESTA is built to be a universal quality assurance system dedicated to seed treatment and treated seed

• The French ‘Plan qualité poussière’ (treated maize seed & dust control) and the German ‘Seedguard’ quality scheme for treated oil seed rape both ‘fit’ within ESTA and can be regarded national crop-specific implementations of the ESTA standard

• Other industry-driven schemes show viability of the approach

ESTA compared to...



Copyright ESA, 2013 © European Seed Association The following presentation serves as a reference or background slide deck that explains ESTA, the European.

Documents

transport seed

cleanliness of seed

seed treatment industry

seed treatment process

treated seed lot

disposal of leftover

seed pellets sunflower0

esta governance copyright