News Release Archive
AGRICULTURE/MARKETING--LABS RANK IN TOP 10 PER CENT ----------------------------------------------------------------- The analytical laboratories of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Marketing have once again been recognized for their commitment to excellence in quality assurance and quality control. In a recent test of 180 feed-testing laboratories worldwide, the Nova Scotia facility was ranked 18th, placing it in the top 10 per cent. This is the second time in the past four years that the labs have been ranked at this high level. "This performance is a reflection of the excellent training, skill and dedication of our analytical staff," said Guy Brown, minister of agriculture and marketing. "Our clients in the agri-food industry are very well served by the labs and can be confident that the analysis they receive is extremely reliable." The analytical section of the quality evaluation branch, as a member of the American Association of Feed Control Officials, participates in a monthly testing program to monitor the quality and accuracy of its testing procedures. Under this quality assurance program, member labs are provided with a different feed sample each month. The lab completes its analysis and reports its results back to the association. A confidential report is then prepared for each lab which helps to identify areas for improvement and ranks its performance against other labs. The Nova Scotia facility consistently ranks in the top 25 to 50 per cent, which is generally considered a good performance. The labs' average ranking for 1996 was in the top 33 per cent. -30- Contact: Ben Harnish 902-893-6562 trp Apr. 22, 1997 - 9:30 a.m.