The Swiss Federal Crop Control directive contains a list of organisms (quarantine organisms). As they are either not very widespread in Europe or not found at all, official measures have been stipulated to prevent further proliferation. An important element is the plant passport. It certifies that the tree nursery material has been officially inspected for quarantine organisms. The other element is a notification requirement. Here, producers help to communicate occurrence of these organisms. The quarantine status enables cantonal services to arrange for official measures against organisms to be taken; the status can also enable financial support and compensation to be paid to the producer.

The most important quarantine organisms in field crops, affecting producers with regards to pest control measures, are the corn rootworm and potato cyst nematodes.   The first (diabrotica) is monitored by a pan-Swiss network and in the event of reports of findings it is controlled with an obligatory crop rotation. The second (globodera) especially affects potato seed stock producers. Afflicted batches are destroyed and afflicted lots of land are excluded from potato production for 8 years. The quarantine-bacteria diseases that affect the potato are not yet known in Switzerland; seed stock production is monitored very stringently.

Ambrosia is also subject to pest control and notification requirements. However, it is not really a quarantine organism, as these measures are only required in Switzerland.