Agricultural Industry

Agricultural Laboratory Scope

Agricultural laboratories cover a broad scope of activities associated with the raising of food crops. These crops can include fruits, vegetables, land animals, and seafood. In the case of seafood, this generally applies to farmed seafood, whereas seafood captured by fishing boats and the like are addressed separately. (definitely need to confirm this!)

Due to the importance of agriculture for any society, appropriate levels of testing for everything from basic soil and irrigation water to final crop testing, are critical. In addition, testing of the impacts of agricultural activities play an important role in policy and the development of appropriate laws and regulations.

Focus Areas for the Agricultural Laboratory

Raw Material Testing

The raw materials for agriculture begin with both water and soil. Appropriate quality standards need to be met appropriate to the crop being produced. Quality, in this case, governs both basic composition as well as contamination.

In addition to composition, contamination is a concern as well. For instance, the presence of pathogens in irrigation water can lead to contaminated food products.