International Seed Testing Association
The International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) was founded in 1924[1] and has more than 100 members worldwide. It is an association of laboratories which are authorised to check on the marketability of seed as defined in various countries' laws. Part of its duties is the definition of methods to determine the ability to germinate, the vigour of seed, and the content of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in seed. The test results, as certified by ISTA member laboratories, are accepted by the trading partners of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in international seed traffic.
The North American equivalent of the ISTA is the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA).