Worldwide, the ISO 9000 quality assurance standards have received considerable support from firms seeking to improve their economic competitiveness. This paper focusses on South African agribusiness firms ’ experiences with the ISO 9000 standards. A postal survey was conducted amongst 92 agribusiness firms to determine the extent of adoption of ISO 9000, reasons for certification atul to identify the costs and benefits of adopting these standards. About 36 percent of respondent firms were certified. The desire to improve customer service, a basis for quality improvement and the need to improve operational efficiency (reduce wastage) were the most important factors influencing certification. Respondents reportedfinancial, managerial and production benefits following certification. Discriminant analysis revealed that ISO 9000 certified firms tended to be larger, established firms with parent company affiliation, manufacturing products derived from agricultural output and exporting to developed countries. Most non-certified firms had adopted an alternative quality assurance system.