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Release No. 0172.02 Jessica E. Faust (202) 720-8998, [email protected] Billy Cox (202) 720-8998, [email protected] USDA ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND OF ACCREDITED ENTITIES TO CERTIFY ORGANIC PRODUCERS WASHINGTON, April 29, 2002 -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the names of the first accredited entities who will certify organic production and handling operations to comply with National Organic Program (NOP) standards. AThis is an important step in the launch of the USDA organic program to provide greater marketing choice in the supermarket,@ said Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman. Oct. 21, 2002, is the deadline to ensure that all qualified organic production and handling operations are certified to use the USDA organic seal on fresh and processed products. The new organic standards offer a national definition for the term"organic." It details the methods, practices and substances that can be used in producing and handling organic crops and livestock, as well as processed products. All agricultural products labeled organic must originate from farms or handling operations certified by a state or private agency accredited by USDA. Farms and handling operations that sell less than $5,000 worth per year of organic agricultural products are exempt from certification. The following entities have been accredited, but must complete a successful site audit, or meet other specified conditions within 120 days:
28 Private Domestic Accredited Certifying Agents: California Certified Organic Farmers California Organic Farmers Association Fertilizer & Seed Certification Svcs (South Carolina) Georgia Crop Improvement Association Global Organic Alliance (Ohio) Guaranteed Organic Certification Agency (California) Hawaii Organic Farmers Association Indiana Certified Organic Integrity Certified International (Nebraska) International Certification Services, Inc (North Dakota) Maharishi Vedic Organic Agriculture Institute (Iowa) Marin County (California) Midwest Organic Services Association (Wisconsin) Minnesota Crop Improvement Association Monterey County Certified Organic (California) NOFAC Massachusetts [Northeast Organic Farming Association] NOFAC New Jersey NOFAC New York Limited Liability Corp Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association Organic Certifiers (California) Organic Crop Improvement Association (Nebraska) Organic Forum International (Minnesota) Oregon Tilth Pennsylvania Certified Organic Quality Assurance International (California) Quality Certification Services (Florida) Scientific Certification Systems (California) Stellar Certification Services (New York) 10 State Accredited Certifying Agents: Idaho Department of Agriculture Iowa Department of Agriculture Maryland Department of Agriculture Montana Department of Agriculture New Hampshire Department of Agriculture New Mexico Organic Commodity Commission Texas Department of Agriculture Utah Department of Agriculture Virginia Department of Agriculture Washington State Department of Agriculture 4 Foreign Accredited Certifying Agents: BCSCOkeo Garantie Gmbh (Germany) BioLatina (Peru) Canadian Organic Certification Cooperative, Ltd ECOCERT (France and Germany) Other applications are under final review, pending submission of additional information requested by USDA. Entities not approved in the first round still will be evaluated and considered for accreditation. New accreditations, along with any specified conditions that must be met, will be posted weekly on the National Organic Program web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop. This site also contains a complete list of applicants for accreditation, application information, and more information on the National Organic Program. |