International Organic Accreditation Service
April 2006
Welcome to the issue of the email update service provided by the IOAS and prepared specifically for regulatory authorities and related bodies active in the oversight of the organic food and farming sector.The mailing is now going to overprofessionals in this sector. Its purpose is to provide regular, clear and concise information about the IOAS, its work and the wider organic regulatory world. Please pass it on to any colleagues you think may be interested or request that it be sent direct to your desktop. There is no charge, the distribution list is anonymous and unsubscribing can be done at any time just by responding to authorities@ioas.org
New applicant for IFOAM Accreditation- Doalnara Certified Organic Korea LLC applied for IFOAM Accreditation in February 2006 and is currently undergoing evaluation. Doalnara are the second Korean
organisation to apply in the last few months joining the Global Organic Agriculture Association who applied in December 2005. The contact at Doalnara is Robert Yang. doalnara@doalnara.or.kr
Reaccreditations-?Argencert of Argentina and Bolicert of Bolivia were recently granted renewal of accreditation against IFOAM Norms after being fully re-evaluated in 2005. Both were first accredited in 1998. During their reevaluation process, Bolicert were also assessed and granted accreditation against Guide ISO65 with scope of EU Regulation 2092/91.
IOAS training-?two further training courses for government authorities and accreditors on assessment of organic certification bodies are planned for 2006. One is now certain to take place in Bangkok on December 6-9 and the other is likely to take place in Latin America but is pending dates and location. The Bangkok course will be delivered in English. Individuals or groups interested in attending the courses should contact IOAS at training@ioas.org A draft course programme is attached to this message.
NIST reassessment- IOAS are about to undergo reassessment by the US Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards & Technology for recognition of the IFOAM and ISO65 programmes against Guide ISO17011. The NIST recognition and surveillance operates on a two year cycle. IOAS was first recognised as compliant with the then ISO61 in August 2004. Document review, office visits and a witness audit will take place in May and June.
ANSI exchange - As in 2005, IOAS are once again exchanging auditors with the American National Standards Institue (ANSI) to perform respective internal audits.
IFOAM1st Certification Conference-IFOAM?are organising their first Conference on Organic Certification to take place in Rome, November 15-17th. The conference will be followed by a half day meeting of the recently established Certifiers Forum. The conference is expected to attract certification organisations, standard setters, government authorities and accreditors from around the world to discuss current challenges, greater collaboration and common understanding?on technical and administrative issues facing the sector. For more information see http://www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam_conferences/IFOAM_Certification_Conference.html
EU Regulation 2092/91?-since the publication by the Commission of the proposal for a complete revision of the EU Regulation 2092/91 on December 21, 2005 there has been a wide and vocal reaction from the organic sector. The original intention was that the proposal (not?the new regulation) was to be approved by the end of June 2006. The many concerns of the organic community were voiced at a meeting organised in the European Parliament building in Brussels by the European Greens and the IFOAM EU Group on March 27. These included the tight timeframe for approval and the lack of time for consultation and the restructuring of the control under the framework of EC 882(2004) on official food and feed controls which would move the control system away from the private-public partnership (present in most member states today) towards greater control and implementation by the authorities. The proposal also contained changes on rules for imports from third countries due to come into effect from January 1, 2007. ?Due to the generally adverse reaction of the sector, the Austrian Presidency issued a Presidency Note on April 7 offering 'drafting suggestions' for parts I, II, III, VI and VII of the proposal. Parts IV and V dealing respectively with 'Labelling' and 'Controls' will become available in 'due course'.
USDA recognise Standards Council of Canada?-??in January 2006 the Standards Council of Canada was recognised by the USDA AMS as operating a conformity assessment system 'sufficent to ensure conformity to the the technical standards of the USDA NOP'. This recognition (under NOP clause 205.500 c,1) permits all certification organisations accredited by SCC to apply the NOP standards to certify operations selling products to the US market. The 'Organic Standard'? also recently informed of the recognition of the APEDA conformity assessment system in India, although this is not currently indicated in the NOP web site http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/Trade.html
First foreign CB approved by?MAFF?-?the IFOAM Accredited certification organisation Australian Certified Organic announced that it has become the first non Japanese based CB to be approved by MAFF, Japan under their new rules. From April 1, 2006 only certification organisations registered and approved by MAFF directly under rules issued in June 2005 may?supervise operators?using the JAS mark.
IOAS/IFOAM meeting in Bonn?-??on March 17th the IOAS Board met for the first time with the new IFOAM World Board elected in August 2005. A further meeting involving the IFOAM Norms Management Committee and the Standards Committee discussed the future direction and development of the IFOAM Guarantee System.
IOAS?structures? - Roger Blobaum (USA) stepped down in March from the IOAS Executive Board and as Treasurer after many years in this role. He remains however on the Board and his position as Treasurer is taken by Michael Sligh (USA).?The full Board meets twice per year. Roberto Setti (Italy), Patricio Parra (Chile) and Frank Rumpe (Switzerland) were reappointed to a further term on the IOAS Accreditation Committee. All members have three year terms.
Call for comments- IOAS invite comments on the performance (relevant to accreditation norms) of the following certification bodies currently undergoing evaluation or reevaluation:?Doalnara Certified Organic Korea and Global Organic Agricluture Association of S.Korea, AgriQuality, New Zealand, Ecoland, Germany, International Certification Services, USA,?Quality Assurance International, USA?(all against IFOAM Norms)and National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia, Organic Food Development & Certification Center,?PR China (against IFOAM and ISO65).
For a complete list of IFOAM and ISO65 Accredited certification bodies, their scope and countries of activity, please go to www.ioas.org?and follow the links.
For specific information about individual Accredited certification bodies, please go to http://www.ioas.org/0601ACB_webpage.htm
For more general information about IOAS, please visit www.ioas.org
The IFOAM Norms can be obtained through the IFOAM web site http://shop.ifoam.org/bookstore/index.php?cPath=24
For specific enquiries or comments, please contact David Crucefix, IOAS? Assistant Executive Director on crucefix@ioas.org
This is a bimonthly service of the International Organic Accreditation Service specifically for governments and national authorities involved in regulating the organic food sector. Secure your own copy direct to your inbox by sending an email to?authorities@ioas.org??You can unsubscribe at any time in the same way.
Back copies?of the email update may be viewed on line at www.ioas.org/WEBSITE/0410_Govt_authorties.htm
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