The Netherlands is the world's largest supplier of vegetable seeds, and in order to maintain this position, Dutch seed companies must ensure that every seed lot is completely free from plant diseases. To support this, the Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) or NVWA has developed a modern recognition system together with its partners: Laboratoria Erkend voor Export Zaaizaden (Laboratories Recognized for Export of Seed), or LEEZ for short.
Through this system, the NVWA guarantees the phytosanitary quality of vegetable seeds based on tests carried out by laboratories that are part of the seed companies themselves, but officially authorized by Naktuinbouw. The vegetable breeding company Rijk Zwaan was the first to receive full recognition under this new scheme.
Dutch vegetable seed suppliers together account for more than half of the global trade in vegetable seeds. Their products must meet the plant health requirements of the importing countries, in addition to the strict quality standards set by both their customers and the companies themselves.
The NVWA holds final responsibility for supervising plant health, including the issuance of phytosanitary certificates. This applies to all vegetable seeds exported from the Netherlands. When these certificates are issued, the NVWA must confirm that the seeds are free from any diseases specified by the importing country. To carry out these inspections, the NVWA works closely with the inspection service Naktuinbouw, which performs the on-site supervision at the vegetable seed companies and other facilities involved.
© NVWA
Large volumes, numerous destinations
Since 14 December 2019, the European Union has enforced stricter regulations to guarantee plant health supervision through the Official Controls Regulation and the Plant Health Regulation. These rules require that all plant health tests be conducted officially or under official supervision.
The Netherlands exports large volumes of vegetable seeds to many destinations worldwide, each with its own set of phytosanitary requirements. This diversity calls for significant and flexible laboratory capacity. Fortunately, Dutch vegetable breeding companies already have well-equipped laboratories, which they use to meet both their own high quality standards and those of their customers.
Naktuinbouw authorizes these company laboratories to carry out reliable tests on seed quality under the Naktuinbouw Authorized Laboratories (NAL) system.
Rijk Zwaan is first, other companies follow
The new recognition scheme for using company-generated test data in export certification, LEEZ, fits seamlessly into this existing framework. Only Dutch companies with NAL authorization for disease testing can apply for LEEZ recognition.
Once recognized, these companies are allowed to collect and test their own samples and have the results accepted for export certification. This streamlines the entire process, making it more efficient and better integrated into daily operations.
In close cooperation with Naktuinbouw, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), and representatives of the seed industry, the NVWA has developed a practical and workable recognition scheme. It ensures that both inspectors and companies can operate within the legal framework while maintaining high phytosanitary standards. Rijk Zwaan is the first company to meet all the requirements of this scheme, and at least seven other companies are expected to follow soon.
Audits
A key part of the scheme involves audits, recognition inspections carried out by NVWA staff to verify that companies maintain robust traceability systems. These systems must ensure that every seed lot can be tracked from start to finish, preventing any mix-ups.
Companies are also required to document how their traceability systems function so that all process steps can be checked and verified. If a seed company detects the presence of a pathogen in its seed lots, it must immediately report this to the NVWA.
On behalf of the NVWA, Naktuinbouw conducts regular inspections of these company laboratories. These checks focus on guaranteeing the reliability of the in-house test results used for export certification.
Noblesse oblige
LEEZ recognition is valid for five years, after which companies must undergo a new recognition audit to maintain their status. Corné van Alphen, Chief Plant Health Officer at the NVWA and Director of NPPO-NL (National Plant Protection Organization of the Netherlands), summed it up perfectly:
"Noblesse oblige — with excellence comes responsibility, even in the world of plant health. There's a good reason the Netherlands is the global leader in vegetable seed supply. That position brings a shared responsibility for both companies and regulators to ensure our seeds remain disease-free. I'm proud that we can guarantee this through our modern recognition system."
Source: NVWA
