Wondering what it takes to earn the NASC Quality Seal for animal health and nutritional supplements?

Chances are you’re familiar with the yellow NASC Quality Seal and have seen it on animal health and nutritional supplements. But if you’re not quite sure how the Quality Seal ends up on a product, or if you’ve been asked by a customer and didn’t quite know the answer, this primer is for you!

The NASC Quality Seal is a third-party certification that carries with it credibility and understanding that companies displaying it are responsible suppliers committed to quality, transparency and continuous improvement within their companies and their industry. The Quality Seal can’t be purchased; it is earned through satisfaction of requirements that include a rigorous audit and ongoing compliance with stringent NASC quality standards.

The first step toward earning the Quality Seal is for the company marketing the animal health or nutritional supplements to become a member of the National Animal Supplement Council. The company must submit a formal application and agree to comply with the requirements of membership by signing the NASC Member Accountability Guidelines and be approved for membership by NASC.

Upon joining, the member company can begin work toward obtaining the Quality Seal, a process that can take about four months from start to finish. It is important to understand that the member company is known as the “Supplier of Record” whether they manufacture their products or have them contract manufactured, and as such are responsible for every aspect of compliance with NASC requirements.

The NASC Compliance Team kicks off the audit process by training the member company on labeling, claims, adverse event reporting, and quality control requirements. The team also reviews the member company’s documented standard operating procedures, checks for labeling and marketing compliance, and verifies that the company has entered its products into the NASC Adverse Event Reporting System (NAERS®).

Next comes the on-site audit, which requires a deep dive into the member company’s quality control system and documentation. The member company must demonstrate that it has established and follows strict procedures for every aspect of production, from sourcing raw materials to the final packaging of the product. This includes implementing robust quality control systems, documenting their verification of processes their vendors perform, and maintaining detailed records of all aspects of their operations.

Any deficiencies found during the audit are communicated to the company, who has 60 days to submit corrective action and close their audit. Upon satisfaction of these requirements, the NASC Compliance Team issues the final audit report along with the company’s official audit certificate, which is valid for two years. At this point, the company is approved to display the NASC Quality Seal on their product labels and marketing materials. A full re-audit is required every two years to maintain use of the Quality Seal.

Earning the NASC Quality Seal signifies a company’s dedication to providing quality, consistent products that consumers can rely upon to support the health and wellbeing of their beloved pets.