Quality assurance in North America: merging customer and producer needs

• Published in: Quality Control and Production of Biological Control Agents pp. 205 - 214
• Main Authors: Glenister, C. S, Hale, A, Luczynski, A
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Wallingford, UK CABI Publishing 2003; CABI
• Subjects: Acari; America; animals; Aphelinidae; Arachnida; arthropods; beneficial organisms; beneficial species; biocontrol agents; biological control agents; biological control organisms; case studies; Encarsia; Encarsia formosa; eukaryotes; Hexapoda; Hymenoptera; insects; invertebrates; Mesostigmata; mites; natural enemies; Pest control; Phytoseiidae; Phytoseiulus; Phytoseiulus persimilis; predaceous mites; predacious mites; predators; predatory mites; North America
• ISBN: 9780851996882; 0851996884
• DOI: 10.1079/9780851996882.0205

The history of a unified North American industry effort towards quality assurance began with the formation of the Association of Natural Bio-control Producers in 1990. Plans were first all-encompassing: to assess all steps in the product process from the quality of inputs into production through to the quality of the product on customer receipt, including the information supplied. Efforts eventually focused on the product received by the customer. North American producers joined with customers, researchers and government representatives to create a subcommittee of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) for development of quality assurance of beneficial organisms. By the year 2001, the ASTM subcommittee had created drafts for 16 species of beneficial organisms and ratified three standards. The history of North American quality-assurance work is summarized and a case-study is presented on the quality of the biological control products that the growers received, focusing on and .