BACKGROUND

The Alliance is comprised of several types of members: Crop Consultants, Contract Research Consultants and Quality Assurance Consultants.

Independent crop consultants provide a full range of services to growers in integrated crop and farm management programs, working directly with farmers on a daily basis, advising them in areas such as watershed management, integrated pest management, animal waste management, global information systems technology, and research trials. The primary mission of these professionals is implementing scientific and technological advances to enhance environmental sustainability and profitability on clients’ farms.

Services provided by contract researchers are as diverse as the talented professionals who call themselves by that term, but generally include field trials to test the efficacy of agricultural products, residue studies, and environmental fate tests performed to support applications to the Environmental Protection Agency for pesticide registration permits. The facilities owned and operated by these highly skilled scientists are located in all parts of the globe, and their expertise with varied crops in diverse locations affords access by the marketers of crop inputs to a great depth of knowledge and experience.

Quality Assurance professionals inspect studies/facilities and audit data to ensure that testing is being conducted in compliance with government regulations such as GLPs and USDA APHIS requirements, protocols and standard operating procedures. They may be employed by the field site facilities, laboratories, management or sponsor companies or may work on a contract basis. QA professionals may also conduct training seminars in GLP, USDA-APHIS and other regulations.

Some of America’s premier businesses, associations, and agricultural leaders are affiliated with NAICC in various membership categories. They work hand-in-hand with independent crop consultants and contract researchers to assure an efficient and productive agricultural sector.

We invite you to get to know these professionals and to work with them for a mutually beneficial U.S. agriculture.