Pacific Agricultural Laboratory

What Pacific Agricultural Laboratory does

Pacific Agricultural Laboratory (PAL) is a specialized residue testing laboratory headquartered at 21830 S.W. Alexander Lane in Sherwood, Oregon, founded in 1998 and acquired by Matrix Sciences in 2022. The company provides pesticide, herbicide, and fungicide residue analysis for agricultural and food industry clients using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS instrumentation, modified EPA 8000 series methods, and AOAC Official Method 2007.01. Its core services span Maximum Residue Level (MRL) analysis, plant tissue analysis, and soil and water analysis, supplemented by a suite of targeted testing profiles including Comprehensive Pesticides, Fruit MRL, National Organic Program (NOP) Pesticides, Hops, Hemp, and Processed Foods Screening, plus Soil and Water Multiresidue Screens covering 230+ compounds. PAL operates an ISO/IEC 17025:2017-accredited quality management system and supports audit requirements for GLOBALG.A.P., SQF, and USDA NOP 2611 organic certification testing.

The company's customer base is segmented into three primary use-case verticals: Growers requiring residue testing for domestic and export compliance, Food Processors verifying processed ingredients, and Organic Certifiers verifying absence of prohibited substances. Service delivery is direct and transactional: customers submit physical samples via Chain of Custody forms, the lab executes analysis, and results are returned via enhanced reporting that compares outcomes to MRL values for the top 10 global export markets. Pricing is quote-based, varying by sample matrix, test type, and compound scope, with priority rush service available at additional cost. Founder and Laboratory Director Steve Thun continues to lead operations, and the lab operates with a headcount band of 1-10 employees. PAL markets primarily through its corporate website, direct email contact, and resource referrals from industry partners such as BCGlobal MRL Database and the Northwest Horticultural Council, serving clients across the Pacific Northwest, nationally, and internationally.

The 2022 acquisition by Matrix Sciences positions PAL within a broader strategic vision to build a full-service analytical testing network, with stated intent to expand residue services into other parts of the country. The lab maintains no disclosed revenue, has not raised institutional funding, and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Matrix Sciences under CEO Robert Wiebe.

Name

Pacific Agricultural Laboratory

Legal name

Pacific Agricultural Laboratory

Website

https://pacaglab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pacific Agricultural Laboratory is a Sherwood, Oregon-based analytical testing lab acquired by Matrix Sciences in 2022, providing pesticide residue screening using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS for growers, food processors, and organic certifiers across domestic and international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sherwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Analytical Testing Services: Laboratory testing services for pesticide residue analysis including MRL testing, plant tissue analysis, soil and water analysis. Services are provided on a per-sample or per-project basis with pricing determined by test type and sample complexity. Priority rush service available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pacific Agricultural Laboratory provides pesticide residue and agricultural analytical testing for food, soil, water, and plant materials. The laboratory uses LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS analytical methods to offer MRL Analysis, Plant Tissue Analysis, and Soil & Water Analysis, along with specialized testing profiles for organic certification, hemp, hops, processed foods, and multiresidue screening. Services are delivered on a per-sample or per-project basis to growers, food processors, and organic certifiers across the Pacific Northwest, nationally, and internationally.

Product overview

Pacific Agricultural Laboratory (PAL), a Matrix Sciences Company, provides specialized agricultural testing services as a single unified laboratory offering. The portfolio includes core Maximum Residue Level (MRL) Analysis, Plant Tissue Analysis, and Soil & Water Analysis services, supplemented by specialized testing profiles: Comprehensive Pesticides Profile (broadest coverage), Fruit MRL Pesticides Profile (tree fruits and berries), National Organic Program Pesticides Profile (NOP compliance), Hops Profile, Hemp Profile, Processed Foods Screening, Soil Multiresidue Screen, and Water Multiresidue Screen. These testing services collectively enable growers, processors, and organic certifiers to ensure regulatory compliance and food safety across domestic and international markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Maximum Residue Level (MRL) Analysis Comprehensive pesticide residue analysis for growers, processors and organic certifiers, providing results for both domestic and export markets with comparison to MRL values from top 10 global markets.
• Plant Tissue Analysis Testing of plant tissues including leaves, grasses, ornamental plants and weeds for pesticide residues, including spray drift damage, overapplication, and efficacy studies.
• Soil & Water Analysis Multi-residue pesticide screening in soil, solid matrices, surface water and groundwater using modified EPA 8000 series methods.
• Comprehensive Pesticides Profile Broad screening technique for residue analysis in food and agricultural commodities covering the largest number of compounds using a single analysis, meeting GLOBALG.A.P. and SQF audit requirements.
• Fruit MRL Pesticides Profile Targeted screen developed for tree fruits and berries covering compounds registered domestically, with custom report comparing results to MRL values from top 10 global markets.
• National Organic Program (NOP) Pesticides Profile Profile meeting NOP 2611 requirements, covering 85% of compounds identified in NOP 2611-1 (List of Prohibited Substances), available to organic certifiers, growers, processors and buyers.
• Hops Profile Profile covering compounds registered for use on hops in the United States for raw hops, hop pellets and liquid extracts, using method JASBC 69(3):121-126, 2011 (LC-MS/MS).
• Processed Foods and Ingredients Screening Pesticide residue screening for processed foods including fruit/vegetable juices, purees, concentrates, plant-based beverages, dried herbs, spices, herbal extracts, essential oils, seeds and nuts using AOAC Official Method 2007.01, LCMS/MS and GC-MS/MS.
• Hemp Profile Comprehensive residue screening covering over 200 compounds in hemp tissue and products, incorporating USDA NOP 2611 guidance, for post-harvest testing of growers and handlers.
• Soil Multiresidue Screen Multi-residue screening for over 230 compounds in soil and solid matrices using modified EPA 8000 series methods, for land transitioning, environmental assessment, and former agricultural land evaluation.
• Water Multiresidue Screen Comprehensive pesticide screening in aqueous matrices for surface and groundwater using modified EPA 8000 series methods, for stormwater runoff, environmental assessment, and irrigation well testing.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Matrix SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMatrix Sciences acquired Pacific Agricultural Laboratory, adding significant new capabilities to its roster of client services. The acquisition represents a major step in Matrix Sciences' vision to build a full-service network for customers. PAL Founder and Laboratory Director Steve Thun continues leading operations under the Matrix banner, with ability to expand services into other parts of the country.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ALS Limited: ALS operates global food and environmental testing laboratories with pesticide residue and MRL capability. Comparable broad incumbent competing for the same agricultural commodity testing work.
• Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is the world's largest food and agricultural testing network with pesticide residue panels across global labs. PAL competes for residue testing work with Eurofins' specialized agricultural and food safety divisions, though Eurofins serves a far broader portfolio.
• SGS Société Générale de Surveillance: SGS operates one of the largest global agricultural and food testing networks, including pesticide residue and MRL compliance services. It is comparable as a broad incumbent serving growers, processors, and exporters on the same regulatory requirements PAL addresses.
• Intertek: Intertek offers agricultural and food testing services including pesticide residue and MRL compliance work for exporters. Comparable broad incumbent operating in the same agricultural testing space as PAL.
• Mérieux NutriSciences (bioMérieux): Mérieux NutriSciences provides food safety and quality testing including pesticide residue analysis for processors and retailers. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping residue and food safety testing services.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas provides agricultural commodity and food testing including pesticide residue analysis for global supply chains. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same agricultural testing category PAL serves.

Emerging players

• IEH Laboratories & Consulting Group: IEH is an independent microbiology and food safety laboratory offering pesticide residue and contaminant testing for food processors. Comparable as an emerging player providing specialized residue testing services to food industry clients.
• Cannabis & Hemp Testing Labs (e.g., ACS Laboratory, Botanacor): Specialized cannabis and hemp testing laboratories offer pesticide residue panels for state-regulated cannabis markets. Comparable as an emerging player addressing overlapping pesticide residue testing needs in the hemp segment PAL also serves.

Direct peers

• Anresco Laboratories: Anresco is an independent food and agricultural testing laboratory specializing in pesticide residue and contaminant analysis. Comparable as a direct peer in the same niche of multiresidue pesticide screening for food and agricultural commodities.
• Matrix Sciences (parent company): Matrix Sciences is PAL's parent company and broader agricultural testing network. Comparable as the operating partner expanding PAL's residue capability into a full-service agricultural testing platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pacific-agricultrual-laboratory-llc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pacific Agricultural Laboratory