NEWSFLASH JUNE 4, 2020
COTA NEWS
Equivalency Arrangement with Taiwan
COTA has been working diligently with the CFIA in the last year to achieve an equivalency arrangement with Taiwan. Taiwan adopted their own regulations for Organic May 30, 2019 which is what instigated the need for an equivalency arrangement. Previously, Taiwan accepted COR certified products without the need for an equivalency.
Canada and Taiwan have reached an interim arrangement for the trade of organic food. This means that for one year certain organic products may be sold as organic in Canada or Taiwan while the equivalency of the organic production and certification systems are finalized.
The interim arrangement applies to agricultural and processed products of plant origin, livestock and livestock products as well as aquaculture products. This includes products grown or produced within either territory or whose final processing or packaging occurs within either territory.
The organic food equivalency arrangement came into effect May 30, 2020 and will remain valid for one year or until the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is able to travel outside Canada to conduct an on-site assessment and finalize the equivalency determination. You may find all the necessary details of this interim arrangement here. COTA's Technical Advisory Committee would request feedback on this interim agreement while the two competent authorities work towards the next iteration in one years time.
Membership Renewal
You should have already received your membership renewal letter for July 1, 2020 - June 31, 2021. We understand this is a challenging environment we are all navigating but let’s continue to build upon our successes – now more than ever! Thank you for the great work and extra efforts required to get through this pandemic and we look forward to hearing back from you in relation to membership renewal.
At COTA, we continue to work on behalf of our members and communicate all government updates, regulatory affairs, research and consumer campaigns we run, such as Organic Week. While some of these program activities are evolving with the state of the pandemic, we continue to liaise with industry, government and consumers to ensure we are providing you with up to date information. Stay tuned as we continue to update trade show events for 2020/2021.
Once you've reviewed your membership renewal letter and invoice, we ask that you please liaise with Karen Squires should you require any specific payment options. Communications will be important to ensure everyone continues to benefit from membership with COTA and we are here to support our valued members.
Research
New report shows organic meat better for people and planet
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| In “The Benefits of Organic Meat*,” The Organic Center gathers together scientific literature to show the differences in the way organic meat is produced, and why those differences are critical to the health of the animals, the health and safety of consumers, the health of the soil and to the impacts on climate change. See full report here. |
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MEMBER NEWS
COABC Job Opportunity
The Certified Organic Associations of BC (COABC) is seeking to hire a temporary Accreditation Board Administrator to cover maternity leave for 7 months (July 2020 to February 2021). This is a full time position, 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday. This position could become a permanent position at the end of the term. The position will be based out of our Vernon office with a starting wage of $22.00 per hour. For more info, https://www.certifiedorganic.bc.ca/
SaskOrganics Photo Contest
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Electronic Organic Import Certificate
At the end of April 2020, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released an electronic organic import certificate in CBP's primary import system, the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The certificate is currently an optional filing step.
The electronic organic import certificate is part of an effort to improve the ability of the NOP and CBP to oversee imported organic products, as per the 2018 Farm Bill. While the certificate is currently an optional filing step, USDA expects it will become required with the publication of the Strengthening Organic Enforcement final rule. Public comments will be accepted once the Strengthening Organic Enforcement proposed rule is published in the Federal Register.
Renewal of Substances on NOP's National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances
The USDA AMS has renewed the substances listed on the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances within the USDA organic regulations. The renewal reflects the outcome of the 2020 sunset review process and addresses recommendations submitted by the National Organic Standards Board. It has been determined that these substance allowances continue to be necessary for organic production and/or organic handling because of the unavailability of organic forms or wholly natural substitutes for the specified uses. The USDA states that the renewal of these substance allowances will avoid potential disruptions to the organic industry and consumers.
The complete announcement, including the list of renewed substances, can be found in the Federal Register. The renewal is effective June 22, 2020.
USA Webinar on exporting speciality crops to USA
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will host an online webinar on June 16, 2020, from 1 to 3 p.m. ET to highlight new procedures for submitting documents required for importing specialty crops into the United States. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will also participate. The trade community is highly encouraged to participate.
Interested parties can join the webinar online at https://www.zoomgov.com/s/1607785457 or by phone at (669) 254-5252 or (646) 828-7666. AMS will post a recording of the webinar to its website following the live event. Information in the webinar will include the history of the government-wide International Trade Data System (ITDS) initiative and the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) into which importers will be required to load documents necessary for bringing products into the United States beginning Sept. 2, 2020.
Topics will also cover the connectivity between AMS’ Compliance Enforcement Management System, which enables AMS to schedule grading and certification services and track the handling and disposition of loads for compliance purposes and CBP’s ACE. A question-and-answer session will follow the webinar.
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