The agreement will see the two organizations cooperate on a range of issues, including safety and quality standards, consumer use and confidence of such products, and the establishment of appropriate compliance requirements.
UNPA and NASC also plan to cooperate to further develop the Chinese marketplace for animal health products and supplements.
Loren Israelsen, UNPA president, commented: “We see the companion animal health products category as a vital and growing sector of the natural products industry.
“We have long respected the work that Bill Bookout and his team at NASC have been doing and felt the timing was right to formalize a relationship with this leading organization. Our partnership can go a long way toward the responsible and sustainable growth of the animal health products and supplements market, backed with solid science and standards for quality. In addition, UNPA will act as the pipeline for NASC member companies to enter the Chinese market.”
Bill Bookout, NASC president, added: “We could not be more excited about the collaborative relationship with UNPA. Loren is one of the most respected members of the industry, and the focus of UNPA has always been one of quality and responsibility, with the ultimate objective of increasing consumer confidence.
“Ultimately, our organizations are dedicated to helping our members maximize the opportunities to make a difference in the lives of both people and animals, while always looking toward the global marketplace. With new and dynamic developments in China, we think UNPA is a great partner to leverage our core strengths, which holds great promise for both organizations.”
