De Lier, The Netherlands
November 3, 2025
On 29 October, Rijk Zwaan’s laboratory became the Netherlands’ very first commercial laboratory to obtain LEEZ status. Thanks to this official seal of approval from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), Rijk Zwaan’s seed health tests can be used in the phytosanitary certification of vegetable seeds – an essential step for exporting worldwide.
Trust and shared public interests
During the official ceremony at Rijk Zwaan’s Seed Connect Centre, Esmeralda Wallast Groenewoud, Director of Enforcement at NVWA, emphasised the importance of cooperation between government and industry:
“Collaborating on supervision calls for trust, perseverance and a shared vision. By obtaining this new status, Rijk Zwaan and other companies are together taking steps to safeguard the health of vegetable seeds effectively and efficiently. This is an example of how we are protecting public interests such as plant health – and with it even the food supply."
Esmeralda Wallast Groenewoud, Director of Enforcement at NVWA, presents the LEEZ recognition to Hans Linders, Manager Quality at Rijk Zwaan.
Guaranteed healthy plants worldwide
The Laboratoria Erkend voor Export Zaaizaden (LEEZ) status indicates that laboratories are officially approved to export seeds. The scheme has been developed by the NVWA in conjunction with the Netherlands Inspection Service for Horticulture (Naktuinbouw), the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), and the vegetable seed sector. Rijk Zwaan supplies vegetable seeds to customers in more than a hundred countries. The company actively shared its practical expertise related to seed health testing and export with the NVWA during the development of the scheme.
Alain Creemers, Project Manager Production at Rijk Zwaan, explains: “We contributed our real-world experience, and it’s nice to see that the LEEZ system is well aligned with our day-to-day processes.”
Practical and future-oriented
The LEEZ scheme is a practical framework that meets all legal requirements and fits seamlessly with the daily work of inspectors and seed producers. Rijk Zwaan is the first company to receive official approval under the scheme. At least seven more businesses will follow shortly.
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