Monday, September 7, 2009

new certification body

New Canadian National Organic Standard Recognizes Thai A.C.T. Organic Certification

With Canada’s National Organic Standard taking affect on June 30, 2009, the Canadian General Standards Board (C.G.S.B.) along with the Standards Council of Canada (S.C.C.) have pursued equivalency agreements with other national standards. These agreements determine the compatibility of one country’s organic standard with another, and are vital to the maintenance of international trade in certified organic goods. While the Canadian Organic Regime (C.O.R.) observes an equivalency agreement with the U.S.D.A. organic standard among others, Thailand presents a different scenario, in the absence of its own national standard.

However, Thai producers targeting the Canadian market will be relieved to learn that the Canadian Organic Regime (C.O.R.) has confirmed the recognition of organic food products from Thailand in the event that they receive certification from one of a number of accreditation bodies. These bodies include Australia Certified Organic, BioAgri-Cert (Italy), Istituto per la Certificazione Etica e Ambientale (Italy), and A.C.T. (Thailand).

“Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand” (A.C.T.) received I.F.O.A.M.accreditation in 2001, and is seen outside of Thailand as a more credible standard than “Organic Thailand”. This is the only Thailand-based accredited certification body recognized by the Canadian General Standards Board, and will act as the regional certification body for organic products from Thailand and Vietnam, intended for the Canadian market.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/orgbio/cbliste.shtml

Sept., ‘09




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Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Italy join China

The Italian Consortium for the Control and Certification of Organic Products CCPB recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Chinese inspection and certification body WIT Assessment. A "strategic" deal according to the Consortium's CEO Fabrizio Piva.

WIT certification body is one of the most important in China in both the organic and non organic fields. Its headquarters are based in Hangzhou, near Shanghai. It's a private law body which operates throughout the territory of the People's Republic of China and several other Asian countries within the Chinese influence sphere. It is accredited by the the CNCA (Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People's Republic of China) under the Chinese legislation and it is also accredited and recognized for the HACCP and Chinagap certification, as well as quality management systems, including ISO 9000 and ISO 14000.

With this agreement CCPB provides the Italian production system with the opportunity to certify organic products for the Chinese market by employing Italian inspectors, while CCPB will certify Chinese companies for those standards, such as EU, USDA-NOP, JAS, Canada etc. for which WIT is not accredited yet, by employing the WIT inspectors after appropriate training and qualification.

"This is an important service which may help and encourage the export of our best food and non food products for the Chinese market, such as cosmetics and textiles to organic farming" said Fabrizio Piva, CEO of CCPB. "China is a Country with a growing economy despite the economic crisis and it thus has a great potential to absorb huge quantities of products, as almost 400 million Chinese now have an average annual income that can be compared to the average annual income of Italian citizens" Piva concluded.



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Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Organic food FAQs

Organic Food for the Curious

Are you wondering what all the hype is about organic food? Do you actually know what it is? If you are interested in going organic, or just plain curious then read on…


The organic food industry has seen tremendous growth within recent years. Increased demand has led to increased production, creating a need for general standards and a legal definition of organic food.


Most countries have adopted their own laws and standards for uniformity within organic production and processing. This eliminates confusion while protecting consumers and manufacturers.


Organic Food Definition


Under most circumstances, organic foods are those grown without the use of synthetic (and often toxic) chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers and other inputs. Livestock intended for domestic consumption is not given hormone injections (artificial growth), and is not given antibiotics as routine. Processing is also a chemical-free procedure.


Organic foods are produced and processed using techniques that benefit the whole environment; soil, water, air, animals and humans.


The Origin of Organic


The organic food market was around long before a legal definition of organic existed. Natural, chemical-free cultivation has been common practice for centuries among small farms. Before the recent increase in demand for organic products, local farms and markets were the only source for fresh organic food.


Today organic standards and certification laws regulate the market, ensuring consumers a product that is truly organic, but there are still many small farms that use strictly organic growing methods without certification. Not all organic farms can afford the costs of certification, meaning their foods will not bear the organic label although produced to the same standards.


What Foods are Organic?


When you think of organic food, fruits and vegetables are the items that typically come to mind. Now, there is much greater variety in the organic market. There are organic options for almost everything today! Organic meats; organic dairy products; organic grains for pasta and cereal; you can even find organic desserts, chocolate, beers and wines.


What is Certified Organic?


In most countries, foods grown and processed according to the set standards and regulations can apply for organic certification. The application process is quite costly and time-consuming. Certified organic farms must present reports regarding the land use for both the past and the future. Stringent records must be kept and annual on-site inspections are carried out to ensure quality and authenticity.


The organic label can only be displayed by manufacturers or growers that have passed government certification. This protects consumers as well as producers by creating expectations for any product considered organic.


The main certification body in the UK is the Soil Association. In the US it is the USDA.


What is Organic Farming and Production?


Organic standards and regulations govern all aspects of organic production, including both crops and livestock. The key to successful organic production is to use as few non-renewable resources as possible whilst promoting healthful practices for wildlife, soil, water, and air.


Organic farming involves synthetic chemical-free growing techniques using organic seeds. Crops are farmed without irradiation or the use of genetic modification. Organic foods enjoy chemical-free processing as well, without artificial (synthetic) additives, preservatives, or other ingredients.


In addition to freedom from the use of hormones and antibiotics mentioned above, animals reared for organic food production enjoy open spaces, spacious shelter and an organic diet. Consequently meat and dairy are free of synthetic chemical residues.


Organic food is a new term for natural products that have been around for centuries. Recent advancements in the organic market have brought global attention to the benefits of an organic diet, proven by research, and the laws put in place by most governments ensure consumers are getting a true organic product.






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Monday, August 17, 2009

Organic Certification in INDIA

  1. ORGANIC (Ltd) | NEWS | Apeda Plans To Introduce Group Organic ...

    No Cloned Animals in Organic Food ... Nitrogen Testing Could Aid Organic Certification ...Cuba Is A Potential Organic Produce Provider For The USA ...
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  4. Welcome to APEDA

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  7. Organic Agriculture at FAO - Country profiles and statistics

    APEDA has recognized 11 inspection certification bodies, some of which being ... These farms mainly produce for their home consumption, and supply the local .... Develop, strengthen and test the full production chain for organic MADP ...
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    Tuesday, August 11, 2009

    funding for INDIA

    Rabobank Foundation announces 10m INR in funding for AOFG India to boost capacity building of regional associations of organic cotton farmers

    Rabobank Foundation announces 10m INR in support for the Agricultural and Organic Farming Group (AOFG) India over the next three years in recognition of its work with farmer-owned partner company Zameen Organic

    Mumbai, Maharastra, IND, 2009-08-11 12:25:31 (IndiaPRwire.com)

    Rabobank Foundation announces 10m INR in support for the Agricultural and Organic Farming Group (AOFG) India over the next three years in recognition of its work with farmer-owned partner company Zameen Organic.

    AOFG India, a network organisation consisting of farmer associations and grass root development and community organisations, helped set up Zameen Organic in 2006 to improve access to markets for small and marginal farmers. Initially working with 300 farmers in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, an area renowned for its farmer suicide problem, and the tribal area of Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh Zameen is now co-owned by cotton farmers. AOFG supports the private limited company through farmer organisational and institutional development, as well as technical training in organic farming practices and on Fairtrade regulations.

    Rabobank Foundation selected AOFG India in recognition of the inclusive ownership in Zameen’s business model, which reflects the bank’s cooperative principles. They were also impressed by the social and economic impacts for farmers and their wider communities achieved by linking up small-holders to large markets. Zameen also partners with fashion brands and textile mills within its supply chains, accessing a greater proportion of the value chain for its farmer shareholders.

    The Rabobank Foundation’s support will be invested in capacity building and strengthening the grass root level farmer institutions. In addition, some of the funding will go towards the organic and Fairtrade certification costs. Organic certification adds considerable value to the farmers’ crops and the practice has also resulted in improved farmer health following the removal of all agrichemicals. Fairtrade certification provides a guaranteed fair and stable price and additional money set aside for community development, which the farmers democratically invest in their own projects.

    The Rabobank Foundation and Rabo India Finance support projects that strengthen cooperatives and other primary producer-owned organisations that aim to achieve independent viability and sustainability. Rabobank Foundation has supported several agribusiness projects that work to increase Indian primary producer incomes and facilitate access to credit.

    Quotes – “Globally Rabobank is committed to improving the efficiency of agri-value chains and linking Indian farmers to high value markets. This investment aims at increasing the capacities of the small farmers through technical assistance to grow high quality organic cotton. This reaffirms Rabobank Group’s commitment to development of the agribusiness sector and support sustainable agriculture practices,” said Surojit Shome, Managing Director and CEO Rabo India Finance.

    “Working with some of India’s poorest and most marginal farmers can be a challenging task, but witnessing Zameen farmers come together, organise and gain invaluable business skills such as book keeping has been an inspiring process. The Rabobank Foundations’ funding will empower the farmers further still with new skills and knowledge and help develop their organisational structures. With this support these farmers will be able to invest more of their Fairtrade premium monies into community development projects and can look forward to total independence and self-sufficiency for generations to come,” said E.M. Koshy Chairman AOFG India

    - End -

    Notes to Editors

    1. Established in 1998, Rabo India Finance Limited (RIF) is a 100% subsidiary of Rabobank International. Through a wide spectrum of fund and fee based products and services, RIF offers sector specific knowledge-based customized solutions in the following core competencies: Food and Agribusiness, Renewable Energy and Carbon Credits, Corporate Finance, Private Equity, Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Advisory, Trade and Commodity Finance and Micro Finance. RIF is backed by a local pool of intellectual and monetary resources as well as Rabobank’s global network. RIF is committed to partnering with clients in creating and providing innovative solutions to their business needs.

    Rabobank Group is a full-range financial services provider founded on co-operative principles and awarded a Triple A credit rating from both Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s since 1981. Headquartered in Utrecht, The Netherlands, the Group employs more than 60,000 staff in 43 countries, servicing the needs of more than nine million clients worldwide. Rabobank Group’s operations include retail banking, wholesale banking, asset management, leasing and real estate. Food & Agribusiness is the international prime focus of the Rabobank Group.

    Rabobank International (“Rabobank”) is the Group’s wholesale bank and international retail bank, providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness.

    2 AOFG Delhi is involved in Zameen’s operations at a strategic level. AOFG Board ensures all proceedings comply with Indian law and fall within the objectives of the Trust. AOFG National Project Office (NPO) is a coordinating hub for service provision to the Small Farmer Organisations (SFOs). Within NPO there are three departments covering major areas of operation: technical, organisation development (OD/ID) and certification/supplier compliance.

    3 Zameen Organic is certified by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which guarantees organic textiles from harvest and socially and environmentally responsible manufacturing through to end consumer. Last season, Zameen farmers harvested 374 tonnes of organic certified cotton lint.

    4 Zameen Organic is certified by Lacon Quality Certification, which certifies organic production and processing. Lacon certification means replenished soil fertility and the banning of toxic and persistent pesticide and fertiliser use.

    5 The Producer Executive Body (PEB) was established to make decisions on usage of the Fairtrade premium and consists of elected farmer representatives.

    6 The FAIRTRADE Mark is a certification mark and a registered trademark of Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO), Zameen Organic is a FLO licensed trader. Global sales for all Fairtrade certified products reached 2.9 billion Euros in 2008 with global Fairtrade cotton sales increasing by 94% on the previous year. The estimated retail value for Fairtrade certified cotton was 175,902,101 Euros in 2008, 19,813,249 Euros of which was Fairtrade organic cotton. The independent consumer label is now recognised by 70% of UK consumers and appears on products as a guarantee that disadvantaged producers are getting a better deal. More than 7.5 million people – farmers, workers and their families – across 58 developing countries benefit from the international Fairtrade system.

    Browse all Rabo India Finance Limited press release » | Subscribe to daily press alerts via email »




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    Saturday, August 8, 2009

    Organic Certification bodies

    Organic Food and Farming Certification

    Author:Hugh Martin - Organic Crop Production Program Lead/OMAFRA
    Creation Date:01 May 2002
    Last Reviewed:2 July 2009

    On June 30, 2009 the Canadian government implemented the Organic Products Regulation to regulate organic certification in Canada for organic products. Details on this new regulation are available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)Canadian Organic Office website and at http://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2009/2009-06-24/html/sor-dors176-eng.html.

    Canada Organic logo

    The regulations require mandatory certification to the revised Canadian Organic Standards (Canadian Organic Production Systems Standards: General Principles and Management Standards and the Permitted Substances Lists) for agricultural products represented as organic in import, export and inter-provincial trade, or that bear the federal organic agricultural product legend (or logo). Exported products may also be regulated by the importing country. Products produced and sold with in the same province are not regulated by this regulation unless they are using the new federal organic logo. It is expected however that many buyers of organic products may require producers to certify their organic products as a market requirement.

    On June 17, 2009, Canada and the USA entered into an arrangement recognizing our national organic systems to be equivalent (subject to several exceptions). Under this agreement all Canadian organic products shipped to the USA must meet the requirements of the new Canadian Organic Regulations. For more details seehttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/orgbio/orgbioimporte.shtml.

    The Canadian Standard for Organic Agriculture was first approved by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) in 1999. The "Organic Production Systems General Principles and Management Standards for Canada" and the "Permitted Substances List" were written in 2006 and revised in 2008 and are now available and can be obtained fromhttp://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb/on_the_net/organic/index-e.html . These standards are referenced by the new Organic Products Regulations.

    In Ontario there are several certification bodies (CB) that certify organic farms and food processing operations. Growers or processors wanting to be certified should contact one of the appropriate certification bodies and obtain a copy of the certification standards before they start the transition to organic production. For farms this may be 3-4 years before the production and sale of the certified organic products.

    An inspection is required on farms in the year before certification and operators must apply to their certification body at least 15 months before harvest of the organic products. In the year of anticipated certification (and annually thereafter), application should be made to the certification body in the early spring to allow for timely review of the applications and to allow the CB to arrange for inspections during the growing season. Inspectors for organic certifications are independent from the certification bodies and most are members of the Independent Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) (http://www.ioia.net/)

    Under the new regulations all accredited CBs must adhere to the Canadian standard as the minimum requirement for all organic certification agencies in Canada. The Canadian Organic Standard also includes the Permitted Substances List - PSL. The PSL indicates which generic substances can be used as inputs to produce organic products to that standard. The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is used by some CB's to advise on input products that qualify for use in organic systems. OMRI has a comprehensive list of substances and products on their websitehttp://www.omri.org which have been reviewed for compliance to the US standards. The Organic Federation of Canada also has information on a Directory of Brand Name Inputs allowed in organic agriculture (http://www.organicfederation.ca/html-en/organic_canada_brand_names.html). Always check with your certification body on the appropriateness of inputs in your organic system. Using non-permitted substances and input products will jeopardize your ability to certify your product.

    A complete list of Canadian accredited Conformity Verification Bodies (CVB) is available at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/orgbio/cvbliste.shtml. The CVB is responsible to assess, recommend the accreditation and to monitor the Certification Bodies (CB). A complete list of CBs accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to certify organic products under the Organic Products Regulations, 2009 (both domestic and globally) can be found athttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/orgbio/cbliste.shtml. The following are CBs accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and known to be operating in Ontario.

    Certification Bodies in Ontario

    OCPP | Ecocert | QAI | CSI | OCIA | Quebec Vrai |

    OCPP - Organic Crop Producers and Processors Ontario Inc., logoPro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. (formerly OCPP/Pro-Cert Canada Inc.),

    CEO: Wallace Hamm
    2311 Elm Tree Road, P.O. Box 74, Cambray, ON K0M 1E0
    Phone: (705) 374-5602,
    Fax: (705) 374-5604
    E-mail:
    Infoebo@pro-cert.org
    Web site:
    http://www.pro-cert.org

    Pro-Cert provides organic certification and verification services beyond the farm gate for client producers and processors in Canada and the USA. Pro-Cert’s production certification procedures are available on their website.

    Garantie Bio-Écocert logoEcocert Canada

    Contact: Simon Jacques
    Ecocert Canada, Ontario Office
    42-C Glasgow Street North,
    Guelph, Ontario, N1H 4V7
    phone: 519-820-0826
    e-mail: sjacques@ecocertcanada.com

    Contact: France Gravel
    71, rue Saint-Onésime
    Lévis, QC
    G6V 6W8
    Tel: (418) 838-6941, Fax: (418) 838-9823
    E-mail:
    info@ecocertcanada.com

    Website: http://www.ecocertcanada.com/eng/index_eng.html

    GarantieBio and Ecocert are trademarks for the Ecocert Canada organic certification program. Our goal is to offer organic producers, processors and distributors an independent and private certification service.


    QAI - Quality Assurance International logoQAI - Quality Assurance International

    9191 Towne Centre Drive
    Suite 510, San Diego, CA 92122 USA
    Tel: 858-792-3531, Fax: 858-792-8665
    E-mail:
    qai@qai-inc.com
    Web site:
    www.qai-inc.com/

    QAI's programs verify organic integrity at each link of the product handling chain, helping to assure compliance with organic standards for agricultural producers, food processing facilities, integrated manufacturing operations, contract packing operations, traders, distributors, retailers, and ultimately, for consumers. The company includes operations in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and the European Union. For more information, visit www.qai-inc.com.

    CSI - Centre for Systems Integration logoCentre for Systems Integration

    Jennifer Scott
    37 Teresa Street, London, ON N6C 3K9
    Phone: 1-800-979-9015, Fax: 519-675-9958
    Email:
    csi-east@storm.ca
    Website:
    www.csi-ics.com

    CSI, the Centre for Systems Integration, a division of the Canadian Seed Institute, provides organic certification services to farmers and processors across Canada. CSI certifies to the NOP. We offer JAS certification for export to Japan, and conformity recognition to the CARTV standard for operations outside of Quebec. CSI is also accredited to certify operations to EEC Regulation No. 2092/91, the European organic legislation.

    OCIA - Organic Crop Improvement Association logoOCIA - Organic Crop Improvement Association Canada

    Annie Houde, Ontario Co-ordinator
    25 Bryden Avenue
    Cornwall, Ontario K6H 5M4
    Phone: 613-933-6093
    Email:
    ahoude@ocia.org

    OCIA Canada
    Debbie Miller, Manager
    Box 3429, 637 6th Street
    Humboldt, Saskatchewan S0K 2A0
    Phone: 306-682-3126, Fax: 306-682-3127
    Email:
    Canada@ocia.org

    Website :
    http://www.ocia.org/

    OCIA is a non-profit membership organization providing 3rd party certification of all stages of organic production, processing and distribution to members throughout North, Central and South America and Asia. Back issues of their Newsletter as well as the OCIA Certification Standards are on their website at www.ocia.org/.

    Quebec Vrai

    Qu�bec Vrai logo188 rue Radisson, bureau 111
    Trois-Rivières, QC
    G9A 2C3
    Phone : (819) 693-4646
    Fax : (819) 693-1472
    E-mail:
    info@quebecvrai.org
    Website:
    http://www.quebecvrai.org/

    Current Accreditations of Certification Bodies

    For export trade recognition and for Organic Products Regulation accreditation purposes many of the certification bodies have been accredited by various accreditation bodies (agencies) to various standards including ISO Guide 65. The following table shows the accreditations that are known for the CBs operating in Ontario.

    Certification BodySCCCAEQCOABCIOASDAP
    OCPP/ProCert (OCPRO)
    x
    x
    EcoCert Canada
    x
    QAI
    x
    x
    OCIA
    x
    x
    CSI
    x
    Quebec VRAI
    x

    Accredition bodies such as the ones listed above operate to ISO-17011 standards and accredit Certification Bodies to ISO Guide 65 standards.

    For information on the certification of organic products in Quebec, see CARTV - Le Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants (CARTV).http://www.cartvquebec.com/index.asp

    There are many international standards. Many countries have their own standards and negotiate equivalency agreements between countries. Two additional standards of note are International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) andCODEX Alimentarius.

    For links to Canadian and International standards and regulations see the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website at http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1183748510661&lang=eng and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Canada Organic Office website athttp://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/orgbio/orgbioe.shtml

    There are also links to Organic certification bodies in the USA on the following websites:

    Return to Organic Agriculture

    For more information:
    Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
    Local: (519) 826-4047
    E-mail:
    ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca



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