The Test Center Technology and Farm Inputs of the German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft, DLG) releases a new quality mark at the turn of the year. The new label links the tradition of the DLG-approval of the past years and the advantages of the DLG Signum Test and DLG Fokus Test marks.

“In addition to the new name “DLG APPROVED” and the new design, we simplified our structure of quality marks and raised information density within the test label at one go. Thus, DLG-confirmed quality will be easier to spot for the farmer”, Hubertus Paetow, chair of DLG's Test Center summarized the reasons for the change. A recent survey amongst users in practice reinforced, that the quality marks awarded by the DLG Test Center stand for highest as well as independently and impartially proven product quality. Furthermore, Paetow added “We'll extend the practioner-confirmed best practice to have test criteria of practical relevance selected and test results evaluated by neutral test commissions.

Needless to say, that previously published test reports and awarded quality labels remain valid, but manufacturers can switch labels immediately, if desired.” 

Key information already in the test label

The quality mark's new and modern design relies on the same basis for all label variants. It merges the former labels DLG Signum Test, DLG Fokus Test, DLG ISOBUSconform and DLG ISOagriNETconform and integrates the DLG-PowerMix sign for tractors. Furthermore the key information for the farmer can be conceived at a glance, because within the gold medal and in the lateral flag supplementary information on the product, scope of the test and in particular the number of the correspondent test report are specified. Thus, it is easily recognizable, if the test conducted is either a full test and therefore a DLG APPROVED for the whole product or a DLG APPROVED in single criteria.

Shortcut from quality mark to test report

By using the number of the corresponding test report from the lateral flag of the test label and the address of DLG's website from the gold medal, the detailed results of the DLG test can be found and downloaded by a few mouse clicks in a very simple way.

Topicality at a glance

Any DLG approval in the field of agricultural engineering products or machinery runtime limitation of five years applies, therefore the awarding year is also imprinted in the gold medal. If product manufacturing is continued without changes, the manufacturer can apply for a run-time limit extension of another five years at a time. In the case of farm inputs tests the obligations for a neutral long-term product quality monitoring remain as is. To this, trained samplers annually collect unannounced specimen at the plant, in trade or on farms to be further analyzed by the DLG experts.

The DLG Test Center Technology and Farm Inputs

The DLG Test Center Technology and Farm Inputs in Groß-Umstadt sets the benchmark for tested agricultural technology and farm inputs and is the leading provider of testing and certification services for independent technology tests. With the latest measurement technology and practical testing methods, the DLG's test engineers carry out testing of both product developments and innovations. As an EU-notified test laboratory with multiple accreditations, the DLG Test Center Technology and Farm Inputs provides farmers and practitioners with important information and decision-making aids, in the form of its recognised technology tests and DLG tests, to assist in the planning of investments in agricultural technologies and farm inputs.