20/20 Seed Labs Inc. Advancing Potato Seed Quality for a Stronger Future

20/20 Seed Labs Inc.

Advancing Potato Seed Quality for a Stronger Future

Founded in 1989, 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. is an independent, Canadian-owned corporation providing CFIA-accredited seed, soil and plant testing.

With locations in Nisku, Alberta, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Bulnes, Chile, we deliver:

• Seed, Soil & Plant testing
• Disease diagnostics
• Molecular services
• Crop inspection for domestic and international markets

Our Chilean facility provides seasonal quality assurance testing for seed importation, supported by Canadian-accredited analysts.

We hold:

• ISO 17025:2017 Registration
• ISO 9001:2015 Registration
• ISTA Accreditation
• CFIA Accreditation for purity and germination of all crop kinds, including smut

We have been working hard to earn CFIA accreditation for regulatory potato seed testing to meet the growing need for timely, accurate, and accessible testing that helps growers, processors, and exporters protect crop health and meet market requirements.

This decision was driven by our commitment to:

• Supporting Canadian potato growers and processors with local, trusted expertise.
• Reducing turnaround times and logistical challenges by providing testing in Western Canada.
• Expanding our role as a full-service, accredited seed health partner for the agricultural sector.

Our Nisku, Alberta Molecular Diagnostics lab is led by Dr. Kim Kenward and Alex Playdon.

We now proudly offer:

• RT-PCR for Potato Viruses S, X, Y, A and PLRV
• ELISA and IMF for Bacterial Ring Rot (BRR)

• ELISA for Potato Viruses (S, X, Y, A, M, PotLV and PLRV)

This accreditation means:

• CFIA-recognized testing for key potato pathogens
• Compliance with domestic and export regulations
• Greater access to testing and faster results
• Strengthened quality control for Canadian seed potatoes

Potatoes are the world’s third most important food crop. Healthy seed is the first step in ensuring a secure food supply.

Our potato testing program:

• Will help prevent the spread of harmful pathogens across borders.
• Protects yield potential, crop quality, and market access.
• Supports sustainable, resilient agricultural systems.

By delivering precision testing and trusted expertise, our trusted team of experts at 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. is contributing to the stability of food systems worldwide—ensuring growers, markets, and consumers can depend on healthy, high-quality potato seed.

Potatoes aren’t just a staple; they’re one of the most consumed vegetables in the world.

From small family farms to large scale agricultural operations, potatoes feed billions of people daily. But with this scale comes responsibility. Potato crops are vulnerable to viruses, bacterial diseases and quality issues that can spread rapidly across borders, threatening yields, market access, and ultimately global food supply.

For over 36 years, 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. has led the way in seed, soil and plant testing as Canada’s first fully accredited laboratory. With a team of experts in Disease Diagnostics, DNA analysis, Molecular Diagnostics, Seed and Soil quality backed by multiple national and international accreditations, we play a vital role in ensuring the cornerstone of human nutrition remains safe, abundant and accessible for generations to come.

By ensuring seed potatoes are healthy, disease-free, and meet the highest regulatory standards, we will be safeguarding more than just a crop – we will be protecting a critical part of the global food system.

Earning CFIA accreditation for the Potato Testing Program is a milestone we’re proud of and it didn’t happen overnight. Here’s a look at the rigorous steps we’ve gone through, along with practical details for growers on how to access our Potato Testing Program.

How Accreditation Was Earned:

To achieve CFIA accreditation for seed potato testing, our team followed a rigorous, step-by-step process. This began with the procurement of specialized equipment and resources to ensure our lab was fully equipped for potato-specific testing.

From there, our analysts underwent extensive training CFIA-approved protocols, while the laboratory itself was restructured and re-organized to accommodate new workflows. An on-site audit was then conducted by CFIA Charlottetown to validate our readiness.

Following this, we carried out practice panels to confirm testing accuracy before moving on to proficiency panels, where each analyst is required to successfully complete two panels per protocol year.

This ongoing commitment to quality assurance underscores the credibility and reliability of our Potato Testing Program.

Details on testing & what to have in your seed potato growing toolkit.

BRR Testing:

• Samples: Tubers or cores (cores must be clean, dried and refrigerated prior to sending)
• Suggested Tools: Melon baller for consistent coring.
• Refer to the table below for CFIA required sample sizes. Some states, like Idaho, may require a minimum of 400.

Reference: https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/invasive-species/directives/potatoes/97-12

Note: under the intensified testing regime a minimum of 1000 tubers or stems is required for crops grown in fields of 1 ha or greater.

Virus Testing:

• ELISA Virus testing accepted material: Tubers, sprouts, leaves, microplantlets.

• RT-PCR Virus Testing accepted material: Tubers only.

Our team is currently building out data from early submissions and will share updates as results emerge. Accreditation is more than just a milestone, it’s an ongoing responsibility, and we’re committed to keeping our partners informed every step of the way.

This program will take place at our Nisku AB laboratory.

507-11 Avenue Nisku, AB T9E7N5

Led by Dr. Kim Kenward, 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. Research & Development Manager alongside Alex Playdon Molecular Diagnostics Supervisor.

If you are curious to learn more about how you can partner with 20/20 Seed Labs Inc., to protect your seed potatoes and crops for generations to come you are encouraged to book a consultation through this link https://2020seedlabs.ca/contact-us/ or contact Nisku lab directly at 1-877-420-2099.