International Organic Markets

Contents

• National Organic Program Trade Partners
• EU Equivalency Arrangement
• Canada Equivalency Arrangement
• Japan Export Arrangement
• Taiwan Export Arrangement
• Korea

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International Evaluations and Export Documents

As a USDA accredited certification agency, Washington State Dept. of Agriculture (WSDA) provides an evaluation of organic products in accordance with USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) trade partner arrangements. Operations that are certified by WSDA, and that comply with the following additional requirements, ensure access of their products to these important markets.

As part of the export services provided by WSDA, the Organic Program issues export documents for products exported to international markets. Whether required by the importing country, or requested by your international customer, WSDA Organic Program provides export document services at a rate of $40 per request.

• Review the information below to learn more about the requirements of export markets.
• Download the WSDA Organic Program Guide to International Markets (AGR 4010) (PDF 116 KB) for full details on how organic products are evaluated by WSDA for compliance with international requirements.
• Reference the National Organic Program International Trade Partner webpage for full details on all arrangements. http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

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US-EU Equivalency Arrangement

Under an equivalency arrangement signed by USDA and the European Union Commission raw agricultural products and processed products certified to the USDA National Organic Standards are not required to obtain additional certification to market the products as organic in the European Union. Full implementation of the U.S. – European Union Equivalency Arrangement comes into effect on June 1, 2012. Details of the USDA and European Union Equivalency Arrangement can be found on the National Organic Program website:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

Operations certified under the WSDA International Organic Program in 2011 hold valid certifications through May 31, 2012. Compliance with the WSDA International Organic Program Additional Requirements (AGR 2313 and AGR 2318) must be maintained throughout the certification period. Evaluations of organic apple and pear producers and handlers for compliance with the new US-European Union Equivalency Arrangement will begin in the Spring and Summer of 2012.

Requirements
After June 1, 2012, in addition to certification to the USDA organic regulations, products must meet the following requirements in order to be sold as organic in the European Union:

1. Apples and pears must be produced without antibiotics.
2. Products must travel with an EU import certificate that has been completed by a USDA-accredited certifying agent.
3. Products must be either produced within the U.S. or have had final processing or packaging occur within the US.

Download the WSDA Organic Program Guide to International Markets (AGR 4010) (PDF 116 KB) for full details on how organic products are evaluated by WSDA for compliance with the US-EU Equivalency Arrangement.

Export Certificates
A USDA-accredited certifying agent must complete an EU import certificate (Certificate of Inspection) for all USDA organic products traded under the arrangement. This requirement is in place regardless of organic crop or product being shipped.

• WSDA Certificate of Inspection Application Form (MS Word 18 KB)

WSDA certified operations may submit completed export certificate applications and accompanying documents to organicexport@agr.wa.gov or fax to 360-902-2087.

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US-Canada Equivalency Arrangement

Under an equivalency arrangement signed by the USDA and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), raw agricultural products and processed products that are certified to the USDA National Organic Standards, are not required to obtain additional Canadian certification. Full implementation of the U.S. - Canada arrangement came into effect on July 1, 2011. Details of the USDA and Canada Equivalency Arrangement can be found on the National Organic Program website:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

Requirements
In addition to certification to the USDA organic regulations, products must meet the following requirements in order to be sold as organic in Canada:

1. Crops must be produced without sodium nitrate.
2. Crops must not be grown using hyrdroponic or aeroponic production methods.
3. Agricultural products derived from animals (with the exception of ruminants) must be produced according to livestock stocking rates as set out in CAN /CGSB32.310-2006.

Download the WSDA Organic Program Guide to International Markets (AGR 4010) (PDF 116 KB) for full details on how organic products are evaluated for compliance with the US-Canada Equivalency Arrangement.

Attestation Statement
A formal export document is not required to accompany each shipment from the US to Canada. However, written documentation with the below statement is required to verify that additional requirements have been met. These attestations can be made by either the operation or the certifying agent.

All products that are produced under the terms of the arrangement must be accompanied by documentation stating the following: “Certified in compliance with the terms of the US-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement”.

The statement may be written directly by the certified operation on a bill of lading, purchase order, or any other affirmative attestation. Products that do not have accompanying documentation with this statement may be refused entry into Canada.

If requested, a compliance affirmation may be issued to the producer or handler that notes compliance of crops or products that meet the additional requirements of the US-Canada Equivalency Arrangement. These affirmations will be issued by WSDA for a fee of $40 per request.

• WSDA Canada Equivalency Affirmation Application (AGR 4003) (MS Word 31 KB)

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US-Japan Export Arrangement

In 2002, USDA National Organic Program reached an export arrangement between the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) in Japan. This arrangement allows US produced raw bulk organic agriculture productw to be exported to Japan without additional organic certification. Details of the USDA and Japan Export Arrangement can be found on the National Organic Program website:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

Requirements
In addition to certification to the USDA organic regulations, raw bulk agriculture products must meet the following requirements in order to be sold as organic in Japan:

1. Crops must be produced without alkali extracted humic acid.
2. Lignon sulfonate must not be used as a flotation aid for organic pears.

Export Documents
If requested, a compliance affirmation may be issued by WSDA upon verification that producer or handler has products that comply with the additional requirements of the US-Japan Export Arrangement. The compliance affirmation provides the necessary information for a TM-11 export document to be issued with the shipment to Japan.

A USDA export document (TM-11) verifying the conditions of the US-Japan Export Arrangement must accompany all shipments of bulk agricultural products intended to be sold in Japan as “organic.”

• WSDA Japan Compliance Affirmation Application (AGR 4001) (MS Word 30 KB)
• WSDA TM-11 Application (AGR 2160) (MS Word 29 KB)

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US-Taiwan Export Arrangement

On March 18, 2009, the Agriculture and Food Agency of the Council of Agriculture (COA) announced that the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) has officially been recognized by the COA as equivalent to Taiwan’s new organic standards. This announcement allows U.S. organic food products to export organic products to Taiwan under an export arrangement. Details of the US and Taiwan Export Arrangement can be found on the National Organic Program website:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP

Requirements
In addition to certification to the USDA organic regulations, products must meet the following requirements in order to be sold as organic in Taiwan:

1. Must be composed of 95% or more organic ingredients.
2. Livestock and meat products must not be from animals treated with the use of systemic pain killers or analgesics, including the use of Lidocaine or Procaine.

Export Documents
A USDA export document (TM-11) verifying the conditions of the US-Taiwan Export Arrangement must accompany all shipments of products intended to be sold in Taiwan as “organic.”

• WSDA TM-11 Application (AGR 2160) (MS Word 29 KB)

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Korea

The labeling requirements for processed organic products imported by Korea were updated in 2003 to more closely parallel organic labeling requirements in the U.S. However, in order to clear Korean customs, a USDA accredited certifying agent must first certify the processed product according to the National Organic Program and then provide an export certificate specific to the shipment of organic products.

• WSDA TM-11 Application (AGR 2280) (MS Word 47 KB)

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