ISTA Workshop on Quality Assurance and ISTA Accreditation - Advanced Level

ISTA and Saskatoon Laboratory, Seed Science and Technology Section of Canadian Food Inspection Agency is looking forward to hosting you an ISTA Workshop on Quality Assurance and ISTA Accreditation - Advanced Level to be held in Saskatoon, Canada on 27-30 October 2026.

The workshop will include lectures, practical and group work. There will be an opportunity to discuss seed sampling in general as well as having specific questions answered.

Aim of the workshop 

This workshop aims at presenting and discussing the principles of quality management and it focuses on the needs of seed testing laboratories that wish to comply with the ISTA Accreditation Standard and maintain ISTA Accreditation.

Workshop content

The content will include presentations and several practical activities to apply in the seed testing laboratory in order to satisfy the quality requirements specified in the ISTA Rules and ISTA Accreditation Standard, such as staff monitoring and internal audit and sampling aspects, equipment and consumables validation before use, and regular check.

Preliminary Programme:

System part:

• Requirement of the recent revision of the ISTA Accreditation standard
• Document control including practical exercises
• Internal audits and practical demonstration
• Corrective actions and non-conforming work
• Samplers monitoring
• Analysts monitoring
• Management review
• General management requirements

Technical part:

• Purchase, reception and storage of consumables including practical demonstration on how some consumables are checked, such as germination substrates Equipment calibration and/or verification, validation before use, and regular check, (balances, germination cabinets), exercises on balances validation and definition of tolerances for temperatures demonstration for germination cabinets, oven for moisture test
• Sampling, exercise on verification of dividers
• Storage of samples

The language will be English.
 

The participation fee includes all literature and supporting material for the workshop, lunches, coffee breaks and workshop official dinner. It does not include accommodation or meals other than those specified.

The number of participants is a minimum of 20 and restricted to a maximum of 30 participants. 

Registration and payment deadline is 27 August 2026

Please note:  
For cancellations made before 27 August 2026 registration fees are refundable minus a 50 USD administration fee.
For cancellations made after  27 August 2026 registration fees are non-refundable. 

Accomodation recommendations

Park Town Hotel

Sheraton Cavalier Saskatoon Hotel

Note: Guests may book directly with the hotel and will be responsible for payment of their own room, taxes and incidentals.

Travel & Visa Information

You may need a VISA and a Letter of Invitation for entry into Canada. For more information, please consult the Embassy of Canada in your country.

If you require an invitation letter, or for any additional information, please contact:

Andreea-Nicoleta Pinar
Email: andreea.pinar@ista.ch

The invitation letter will be issued by ISTA Secretariat only after payment of the registration fee.