b'PARTNER CONTENTIN A NEW WORLD, RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY IN SEED TESTINGLeveraging cross-border and global partnerships is crucial to providing clients with quality service. Heres how SGS Canada is taking seed testing to a new level.Marc ZienkiewiczSHIPPING SEED SAMPLESfor testing across the Canada-U.S.accessing laboratory supplies in a timely manner, and that border was problematic even before the COVID-19includes access to personal protective equipment which pandemic. Now, it can be even more aggravating. right now is crucial to the health of both our employees Its challenging primarily because its inconsistent,and clients, Gelech says. says Holly Gelech, business development manager,Keeping everyone healthy ensures business continues agriculture and food for SGS Canada.as usual so there are no interruptions. The last things our Its been three years since BioVision was acquired byclients need are delays and downtime.global testing, inspection, and certification company SGSThat supported growth means new opportunities Canada Inc. Of course, no one could predict the comingin testing. Over the last three years SGS Canada has pandemic at the time, but Gelech says with the challengesseen major additions to its portfolio: it has become the industry is facing at the moment, being a part of theaccredited by the International Seed Testing Association SGS team is paying dividends for SGS Canada, based in(ISTA), which supports global export requirements Sherwood Park, Alta. for the seed trade. Its also now a CFIA Authorized We have always had clients on both sides of theExporter Laboratory for the Organization for Economic border. Now, we can facilitate testing in the country ofCooperation and Development (OECD) Seed Schemes.origin instead of having delays due to sending samplesAs a result, it can now provide testing for dust-off and back and forth across borders. We can manage projects inactive ingredient analysis. Both are advanced services the country our customers want them to be managed in.made possible with specific instruments SGS Canada has Its a huge win for everyone involved. access to.Add to the mix consistent testing methods andSGS Canadas internal collaboration with the SGS procedures and SGS Canadas ability to make use ofISTA-accredited lab in Brookings, South Dakota, means North American service agreements (as opposed to justSGS Canada has regular access to colleagues on the other individual country-based agreements) and you have aside of the border whom they can work with to ensure new standard of seed testing in Canada, Gelech says. SGS Canadas clients receive the most up-to-date, accurate Project management across borders is just one ofinformation and testing results possible.several external benefits the industry is realizing with SGSDespite all the changes, she notes that day-to-day Canada in the seed testing picture, according to Gelech.business at SGS Canada hasnt changed since the days SGS Canadas growth is being bolstered in a numberwhen it was known as BioVision.of ways via its partnership with the SGS global seedWhen it comes to our front-facing client services testing network. Namely, access to capital and procure- team, that has remained the same at our laboratory loca-ment of resources for new services.tions in Sherwood Park and Grand Prairie. We still have Easier access to capital means we can bring in newstaff monitoring the phones. Our system is not set up to instrumentation to offer new services, upgrade technolo- digitally move people through a telephone web. Client gies, and move faster than we ever have to provide whatservices are crucial for us, she adds.clients need. A procurement team assists us withFor info visit biovision.ca NOVEMBER 2020 GERMINATION.CA 33'