SGS received GLP accreditation for residue field trials in Argentina

SGS in Argentina has received Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) accreditation against OECD standards for crop residue trials.

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) GLP standard requires a robust operational set up. It has well-defined procedures, supported by a set of standard operating procedures (SOP), and creates safety data generated under a global framework that is accepted by all OECD member states.

The mutual acceptance of data generated by OECD GLP trials between OECD member states, means pesticides tested by SGS in Argentina are not only accepted for Argentine registration, but this data can also be used to gain acceptance in other geographical areas. This allows use of the data for global registration, within OECD member states, for new pesticide products, saving time and money.

SGS began the process for gaining accreditation to OECD GLP to conduct residue field trials, soon after the President of Argentina signed the relevant OECD accords in 2015. To achieve accreditation, the company’s team in Argentina worked with experts from our U.S. and Brazil operations to help set up the GLP system and run the trials, according to a residue program.

The certification authority requested three trials – two completed and one ongoing. SGS’s trials, established using internationally validated protocols, were run using a trial compound. This allowed for a robust examination of procedures, including scrutiny of our competence in execution and documentation.

Accreditation to provide OECD GLP crop residue trials extends the scope of our agricultural services in the country, which already include:
•    Field trials for genetically modified crops
•    Efficacy testing for pesticides and fertilizers
•    Weed resistance trials
•    Seed treatment trials

SGS has also recently established a new insectarium for bio-assay testing of pest resistance to genetically modified proteins and pesticides.

SGS’s field trials team operates from a twenty-hectare field research station in Junin, Buenos Aires province. SGS employs a highly-trained team of field scientists, including a local QA team, which supports all aspects of trial execution and documentation. In addition, SGS also has more than 10 satellite testing locations, covering all major cropping regions in Argentina.

SGS administers field trial operations in 28 countries globally and is internally replicating best practices throughout its network. The accreditation to OECD GLP in field trials in Argentina confirms SGS’s commitment to providing our clients with the standards required to bring their products rapidly to the market.