The US department of agriculture (USDA) Quality Assurance Laboratory is the new laboratory to be certified under ICA Bremen International Laboratory Certification Scheme. It has also joined 8 other laboratories that have received the certification that is working with the aim to establish an approved list of laboratories worldwide that meet the standard level of quality assurance.
ICA Bermen is an international center of excellence for cotton testing, research and quality training, has developed the scheme based on ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and CSITC (Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton), as well as building on the good practices of USDA and its own laboratory experience. The participating laboratories have to meet the level of quality assurance that is based on the specific criteria in 8 different modules including; conditioning, maintenance, calibration and testing procedures.
The Auditor of ICE Bermen, Robert Jiang said that; “We are pleased to see that the Quality Assurance Laboratory of USDA has joined the certified club of laboratories. USDA has provided continuous input and support to the certification program right from the very beginning. We are confident that through the effort of all sides, the certification program will continue to maintain its standard for the benefit of the whole cotton industry.”
12 more laboratories are under the assessment process and by the time they will be certified they will become the laboratory of choice quality disputes in the line with the ICA bylaws and rules and will be providing services to the cotton industry at the same time.
