What NAPT Has and Will Do for Soil Testing.

The North American Proficiency (NAPT) program has been providing proficiency testing for soil, plant, and water analysis laboratories since 1998 under the auspices of the Soil Science Society of America.  We are the largest program in the United States and provide support for state certification programs.  The program has allowed the industry to discover and correct inconsistencies in soil test procedures, both on an individual lab and industry level, through quarterly exchanges of samples and year-end bias analysis of submitted data.  The program has also conducted workshops to aid lab managers with quality control, analysis, and laboratory management.  This poster will present information on how the program has helped the industry discover inconsistency in particular analyses.  It will also discuss ideas for future endeavors.