Harristown/Niantic, IL | 3/19/15: EPL Bio Analytical Services (EPL BAS), an agriculture-focused analytical contract laboratory, was awarded accreditation to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories (ISO 17025:2005) in late 2013. During the first year surveillance assessment, the scope has expanded dramatically. Accreditation was reaffirmed including the newly expanded scope this month.
EPL BAS has partnered with the agricultural industry to perform studies in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) standards for 28 years. Traditionally, agriculture was associated with production of food crops and animal husbandry. However, in this new age, in addition to food crops and industries such as dairy and poultry, agriculture touches on forestry, bee-keeping, energy production, clean water… and the list continues. Agriculture has become central to the health of most economies. Although currently not required for most of their work, this additional accreditation creates another source of external verification of competence and opens the doors to partnering with new customers in the agricultural space globally.
“ISO 17025 is focused on technical excellence and satisfying the customer,” says Claire Taylor, EPL BAS Quality Manager. “We already work very closely with our customers to ensure an exceptional customer experience, so most of the ISO requirements were already in place. We believe taking this additional step for our current and future customers is an investment in our mutual success and demonstrates our dedication to going above and beyond what is required.”
