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Canadian Organic Regime
On
December 21, 2006, the Organic Products Regulations of Canada were published
bringing in requirements for another major market for organic produce where
before there were none (or at least not in a harmonised sense across the
territory).
The
main implications for certification bodies working within Canada is that
they will have to be formally accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) through one of a number of approved accreditors.
For
those certifying exports to the territory, access may either be through
equivalency recognition of a country conformity assessment system or by
direct accreditation.
The
full system is now intended to be implemented by June 30, 2009. Currently, the
Canadian authorities are finalising the system procedures and requirements
for certification bodies.
The
regulation requires organic producers to be inspected by certification
bodies which are in turn assessed by accreditation bodies which have
themselves been approved by the CFIA.
The
IOAS was informed by letter dated April 10, 2008 that 'the Canada Organic
Office is satisfied with the level of compliance with the Canada Organic
Regime and would like to inform you that the next step from the recognition
of International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) as an accreditation
body under Canada Organic Regime is the signing of the agreement between
International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) and CFIA'.
As of April 16th, 2008 the IOAS is open for
applications from any certification body in the world to offer accreditation for access to
Canada.
An expected date for publication
of initial lists (one for those CBs active inside Canada and one for
those active outside) of approved certification bodies is May 2009.
Current list of applicant bodies to
IOAS for
voluntary accreditation against Annex 3 of the Quality Management Systems
Manual of the Canadian Food Inpection Agency -
24kb
For
more information please go to our questions and answers
page on the COR.
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