This important session on the movement of seed around the world will feature a live presentation by Osama El-Lissy of USDA-APHIS on seed health testing and APHIS' direction on the current and future use of molecular seed health testing methods at APHIS, with a focus on both the detection and assessment of phytosanitary risk of pathogens that may be associated with seeds. What opportunities and challenges exist at the international (IPPC) level and what other technologies may be on the horizon? Genetic sequencing/NGS is a powerful technology for detecting and characterizing pathogens at extremely low levels; however, little is known about how such levels correlate with biological significance. Many NPPOs including USDA are moving toward operational use of NGS, and are now routinely sampling and testing seed shipments at POEs for pests for which the seed companies are not aware of.  Detections, even at ultra low levels, result in shipment rejections. Biological relevance has become a major concern throughout the seed industry globally, as it appears that the acceptable level of risk now becomes the level of sensitivity of the test method.  Learn how NPPOs are addressing this issue, and how the seed industry can work with APHIS and other NPPOs to help.  Then, a panel of speakers will dive deeper into the crucial topic of seed health testing, its biological relevance, the impact of third-party systems, and what all of it means for your ability to move seed around the world.  Don't miss it!