USDA - NOP
THE STRENGTHENING ORGANIC ENFORCEMENT (SOE) Final Rule published
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published on January 19, 2023, the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) Final Rule. The full implementation date of the SOE is March 19th, 2024.
If you are a certified NOP company or you want to learn more CLICK HERE
The equivalence agreement between the NOP (National Organic Program) and the EC Regulation 2018/848 signed between the United States and the European Union, which entered into force in 2012, allows most of the EU certified organic products to be exported to the USA, accompanied by the NOP Import Certificate. Operators who want to be certified according to the US standard can find all the information on this page.
NOP certification
All the ingredients of agricultural origin that are part of the certified product must in turn be certified according to the NOP regulation by organizations recognized by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). This also applies to ingredients certified by schemes recognized as equivalent by the NOP (e.g. COR, EU, JAS and South Korea).
Document submission
In order to obtain the NOP certification, the operator must firstly produce an appropriate documentation, which will be evaluated by CCPB. In particular: the Contract for the Certification, Organic System Plan (OSP), a detailed description of the company activity where the operator describes the operating procedures that enable him or her to operate in compliance with the NOP Product Data Sheets
Document review
The completeness of the above documents is the essential requirement to start the certification process; this process can continue only if the documentation is wholly filled in and complete with all the referred enclosures. Once the whole and correct documentation is received, CCPB proceeds with the documentary assessment as required by paragraph 205.402 of the Regulation and, if necessary, requests additions or clarifications.
Inspection
Only after the positive outcome of the document assessment, the inspection visit is planned. This inspection shall check the compliance with the requirements of the NOP Regulation and the application of what is described in the ODP and positively assessed by CCPB.
Evaluation of the inspection documents
The document relating to the inspection is then sent to get the final decision about the issue or not of the certification. The evaluation of the documents is followed by the issue of the certificate of compliance pursuant to the NOP regulation, if appropriate. To ensure the validity of the certification, the operator must submit an updated Organic System Plan every year. For further information, contact our offices.
