CCPB NOP-USDA Renewal Audit 2024

Following the publication of the NOP Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Final Rule (see article about SOE here), all NOP Accredited Certification Agents (or NOP Accredited Certification Bodies as we call them in Europe) must fully implement the new NOP rule in their quality systems and must verify their NOP certified operations according to the new NOP SOE rule starting from March 19th, 2024.

CCPB is one of the leaders of NOP organic certification mainly in the Mediterranean countries with 5 branch offices in Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey but is also active in many countries.

To renew its NOP Accreditation, CCPB recently received the NOP-USDA renewal audit 2024 right after the in-force date of the implementation of the NOP Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Final Rule.

The NOP-USDA audit started in Turkey from the 12th to the 23rd of March 2024 for the Scopes Wild Harvesting and Processing at one operation located in Izmir, the same audit extended to Palermo-Italy in the 1st week of April 2024 where the auditors of USDA-NOP conducted also a witness inspection for the scope “Crops” at one operation and finally the audit was closed in Bologna HQ after a week audit office from 08 to 12 of April, 2024.

The result of the complete audit was very positive. For CCPB staff in Italy and all over the world, it was a great opportunity to test the performance and compliance of the implementation of our recently updated Quality Control System with the new requirements of the new SOE NOP rule.

The performance of CCPB NOP inspectors in Turkey and in Italy exceeded expectations, showcasing their ability to improve their skills in line with the update of the new NOP regulation. This achievement is a testament to their dedication to delivering high-quality organic inspection service to CCPB NOP-certified operations worldwide.

CCPB continues to uphold its position as a leader in NOP certification. This accomplishment reaffirms CCPB's reputation for excellence and reliability in the field of organic certification. It demonstrates that with dedication, diligence, and a steadfast commitment to organic rules and regulation, achieving and maintaining accreditation is not only feasible but also rewarding.

Now the process of renewal will continue with a review of the audit results from the AMS accreditation services until the final confirmation and issue of the new accreditation certificate.