In Canada`s letter to the United States dated June 17, 2009, Canada acknowledged that agricultural products intended for use as vegetative propagating material, food and feed that are organically produced, processed and certified organic under the USDA`s National Organic Program (NOP) are considered equivalent to the requirements of the Canadian Organic Products Regulations, 2009. Suppliers of ruminant animal products: CCOF will not obtain any additional documentation, a USDA NOP organic certificate is sufficient. Establishing the biological equivalence of Canadian and NOP/EU rules and standards is a way to ensure better access to the neighbouring market for domestic producers and processors and to reduce new non-tariff barriers for importers by removing unnecessary technical barriers for all. Pursuant to subsection 357(1) of Part 13 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR), U.S. organic products imported into Canada must be accompanied by an organic certificate issued by a U.S. country. Accredited certification agent recognized under the USCOEA. This means that products grown with sodium nitrate are not considered organic in Canada. The United States has an equivalency agreement with Canada. The equivalency agreement grants USDA-certified organic products access to the Canadian market and gives Canadian Organic Regime (COR) certified organic products access to the U.S. market. Certified products can be labeled as organic in both countries and sold if the product meets the terms of the agreement.

The U.S.-Canada Equivalency Agreement is the only equivalency agreement in Canada that covers imports from third countries. This means that if a product is imported from a third country that does not have an equivalency agreement (such as India), the only way to sell that product as organic in Canada is for the product to be certified under the Canadian Organic Regime (NRC) or the U.S. National Biological Program (NOP). Consumers will benefit because they will have access to a more affordable range of organic products, larger quantities and a variety of products. Consumers will continue to have confidence in the biological integrity and government oversight of the products they buy. USDA organic exports. U.S. organic products exported to Canada must be accompanied by an organic certificate issued by a USDA-accredited certification agent recognized under the U.S.-Canada Equivalency Agreement.

The organic certificate issued by the USDA certifier must include the following certificate: The U.S.-Canada Equivalency Agreement allows the importation of COR (Canada Organic Regime) certified products into the United States. Canada will only establish a biological equivalency agreement with another country after assessing and comparing the 2 regulatory systems, including standards, to determine whether the principles and results achieved are consistent. The organic certificate issued by the certifier must include the following statement: “Certified under the terms of the U.S.-Canada Biological Equivalency Arrangement.” This declaration is necessary to confirm that organic products imported from the certifiers issuing the organic certificate meet the conditions of the USCOEA. As of July 1, 2009, certified organic products can move freely between the United States and Canada. “Agricultural products derived from animals that have been treated with antibiotics are not allowed to be marketed as organic in the United States.” Both the CFIA and the USDA have their own standards and regulations that define organic production and market demands. Under the Equivalency Agreement, the CFIA recognizes imported organic food, livestock and crops produced to U.S. organic standards by certification bodies accredited by the USDA under the NOP. Similarly, the USDA will recognize imported organic products manufactured to Canadian organic standards by certification bodies accredited by the CFIA under the COR.

This “free trade” of organic products applies to both ingredients and finished products. Products covered by this equivalency agreement have voluntary access to one or both logos (as indicated above). Since some differences in standards were considered important for domestic policy objectives, consumer needs or production standards, the equivalence agreement also contains certain additional requirements that must be met before a product is classified as “equivalent” by the importing country. All organic products covered by this agreement and imported into the United States must comply with USDA organic labeling regulations. For more information, see Organic Labelling – Agricultural Marketing Service. “Agricultural products produced from sodium nitrate are not sold or marketed as organic in Canada.” These products may also use the Canadian organic logo. Note: Organic aquaculture products do not fall within the scope of Canada`s current equivalent agreements with other countries for organic products. The United States has an export trading relationship with Taiwan. This agreement allows USDA organic products to be sold as organic products in Taiwan. Determining equivalence allows 2 different standards, regulations or procedures to remain as they are (in each country), but treats them as if they were the same as long as they achieve the same policy outcomes and objectives, albeit through different means. An import-export agreement that considers both the foreign country`s conformity assessment system and its standards as equivalent to the requirements of national regulations would be considered an equivalence agreement. Under an equivalency agreement, an imported product would be certified by the foreign country`s conformity assessment system in accordance with foreign standards and the terms of the equivalency agreement (taking into account deviations where applicable) and would be presumed to meet the requirements of the importing country.

That all changed for organic exporters in Canada on June 30, 2009, when Canada`s new Organic Regime (CRA) came into effect. Without an agreement, USDA-certified organic foods exported to Canada would have had to receive a second certification to bring them into compliance with mandatory Canadian standards and regulations. Similarly, all certified organic foods are exported to the United States in accordance with Canadian guidelines. should have continued to meet National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines before being sold in the U.S. …

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