To find out more about AOSCA certification and what it means for the hemp industry, Randy Schultz, PhD, joined the NutraCast.
“It's recognized both within the US and in some cases globally. So Canada, Argentina, a number of other countries recognize a AOSCA as really the standard for seed purity, genetic purity, performance germination, really setting those standards so that the growers know that what they're getting in the bag is going to perform to those standards and meet the quality criteria that they have,” explained Schultz, Arcadia’s Chief Technology Officer.
Schultz said certification is a lengthy process that involves a lot of data collection.
“Multiple years of data collection as well as multiple locations, you take all sorts of really detailed measurements about leaf size, shape, internode, length overall,” said Schultz. “So really what they're trying to do is have you prove to them and prove to the industry that when somebody buys your variety and plants, each of those plants are going to look the same and they're going to perform the same way. So you don't have all of this variability in the field that actually has really plagued the hemp industry over the last couple of years.”
Schultz added that being able to provide the quality assurance that AOSCA certification brings is critical. "We are pleased to be setting the bar for quality, uniformity and performance in the hemp seed industry and look forward to supporting growers with superior genetics to enable successful outcomes for them and for the industry as a whole."
To hear more about what it takes to become AOSCA certified, listen to the NutraCast.
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NutraCast is a podcast that focuses on insights from inside the nutrition industry. It is a production by NutraIngredients-USA. Music by Kevin Macleod.
