USDA - Introduction of Strengthening Organic Enforcement For Group certification (22 June 2023)

Subject of training

The subject of the training is the introduction of the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule. Specifically for Group certification

Introduction to the training

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published the Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE) final rule on January 19, 2023. The rule goes into effect on March 20, 2023, with a transition period of one year to comply. This means that the USDA-NOP is giving until March 19, 2024 to implement the rule.

SOE protects organic integrity and bolsters farmer and consumer confidence in the USDA organic seal by supporting strong organic control systems, improving farm to market traceability, increasing import oversight authority, and providing robust enforcement of the organic regulations.

The new regulation will bring lot of changes for the operators, dealing with NOP organic products, especially for that ones who are not certified currently, since SOE will require certification of more of the businesses, like brokers and traders, at critical links in organic supply chains. The SOE will require NOP Import Certificates for all organic imports, which will help to protect the organic integrity of the products.

The update of the regulation will bring a major change for Grower Groups, because it will specify certification requirements for producer groups.

The aim of the training is to introduce the changes which the SOE will bring and help to the certified operators be prepared and facilitate a smooth implementation.

Objectives

Introduction of the Strenghtening Organic Enforcement, which will

• Require certification of more businesses, like brokers and traders, at critical links in organic supply chains.
• Require NOP Import Certificates for all organic imports.
• Require organic identification on nonretail containers.
• Increase authority for more rigorous on-site inspections of certified operations.
• Require uniform qualification and training standards for organic inspectors and certifying agent personnel.
• Require standardized certificates of organic operation.
• Require additional and more frequent reporting of data on certified operations.
• Create authority for more robust recordkeeping, traceability practices, and fraud prevention procedures.
• Specify certification requirements for producer groups.

Who should attend
The webinar is recommended for already certified operators and new applicants, who may be required to participate in the certification due to the SOE.

Agenda

Topics:

• General introduction of the SOE. Timeline for implementation
• Exemptions, Who needs to be certified in the future? How to start the application with CU if you were not certified previously, but now your operation must have a certificate?
• What are the responsibilities of an exempted operator, trading with NOP organic products
• Import and import certificates: what is an import certificate? When I will need it? How can I apply for an import certificate?
• Labelling of non-retail containers
• On-site inspections: what kind of changes can the operators expect?
• Unannounced inspections
• What is the Organic Integrity Database? How will our certificates be printed out from the OID system in the future?
• Yearly update of the OSP, continuation of certification
• Changes that affect CBs? How will it affect the operators (higher prices?)
• Changes in the Notice of noncompliance procedure, mediations, adverse actions
• Supply Chain Traceability and Organic Fraud prevention