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Laboratory achieves
OECD GLP compliance
Landbouleier
sterf onverwags
T
he Southern African Grain Laboratory (SAGL)’s Crop Pro
tection test facility achieved OECD Good Laboratory Prac
tice compliance during July last year. This means that results
of studies conducted at the facility can be accepted by
other countries.
What is the OECD?
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD), with 35 member countries, focuses on global economic de
velopment and assists the governments to respond to social, eco
nomic and scientific issues. South Africa is a key partner of the OECD
since 2007.
The Mutual Acceptance of Data system, developed by the OECD, is
an agreement signed by the participating countries and key partners
to share the results of various studies on chemicals to reduce dupli
cative testing and allows countries to work together.
These studies must be conducted according to the OECD Princip
les of Good Laboratory Practice. The aim of the OECD principles
is to create a level playing field for participating countries involved
in import and export of chemicals to minimise the effects of non-
tariff barriers between these countries.
Good Laboratory Practice according to the principles of OECD is the
quality system prescribing the conditions under which non-clinical
health and environmental safety studies are planned, performed,
monitored, recorded, archived and reported.
When an OECD Good Laboratory Practice study is conducted the
focus areas include record keeping, traceability to prevent fraud,
and verification of the obtained results to ensure that, if needed, the
study can be reconstructed.
Unique to the OECD Good Laboratory Practice principles are the
monitoring of the testing facility, including the storage area and pre
vention of contamination, and testing processes according to the
study plans. Also unique are the availability of master schedules
for all the studies conducted at the facility and the recording and
archiving of test results.
ISO accreditation
To enhance the technical competence in the SAGL Crop Protection
Division, the laboratory also obtained ISO 17025 accreditation. Part
of achieving and maintaining ISO 17025 accreditation is the continu
ous proof of technical competency, including method validations,
and international comparability and traceability to international
standards through the participation in international proficiency
schemes.
The Crop Protection Division also ensures that their staff members
stay up to date with local and international regulatory and techni
cal requirements and support international guidance documents
through their international involvement.
Currently the division is performing OECD Good Laboratory Prac
tice studies for international companies as well as companies in
South Africa that want to register and export products to other coun
tries that require OECD Good Laboratory Practice studies.
Excellence is not only in having a result or a report to submit to the
authorities, but to know that the results reported is accurate and
the report is a true reflection of the study conducted.
M
nr Schalk Pienaar, voorsitter van Agbiz en voorma
lige besturende direkteur van Suidwes Landbou, is op
6 Mei in sy woning op Hartbeespoort aan ‘n hartaanval
oorlede. Hy was 68 jaar oud.
Dr John Purchase, uitvoerende hoof: Agbiz,
sê Pienaar sal nie alleen deur Agbiz en sy
lede gemis word nie, maar ook deur die
hele landbou- en landbousakegemeen
skap vir sy wyse raad en opbouende
bydrae oor dekades heen in ver
skeie leiersposisies in die landbou
bedryf. Pienaar was sedert 2010
die voorsitter van Agbiz.
In ‘n mediavrystelling sê Suidwes Landbou dat Pienaar onthou sal
word vir sy groot rol wat hy gespeel en die verskil wat hy in die
Suid-Afrikaanse landbousektor gemaak het. Hy was hoofbestuur
der van Suidwes se graanafdeling, voordat hy van 2001 tot 2012 die
pos van besturende direkteur van die Suidwes Groep beklee het.
Mnr Francois Wilken, voorsitter van Vrystaat Landbou, het in ‘n
huldeblyk gesê landbou het ‘n groot leier verloor. Pienaar het
van 2012 tot 2016 in die uitvoerende bestuur van Vrystaat Land-
bou gedien.
In hul huldeblyk het Agri SA gesê Pienaar was ‘n leidende figuur
in landbou en het ‘n groot rol daarin gespeel om georganiseerde
landbou uit te bou en te verstewig.
relevant
Wiana Louw,
general manager, SAGL
Karina Muller,
SA Graan/Grain
medewerker
Wyle Schalk Pienaar.
Foto: Agbiz
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June 2018