9.3 Preparation and Packing Units

9.3.1 The producer and/or operator should provide:

- A full description of the unit, showing the facilities used for the preparation, packaging and storage of agricultural products before and after the operations concerning them.
- All the practical measures to be taken at the level of the unit to ensure compliance of this Standard.

This description, and the measures concerned, should be signed by the responsible person of the unit and the certification body.

The report should include an undertaking by the operator to perform the operations in such a way as to comply with Section 9 of this Standard and to accept, in the event of infringements, the implementation of measures as referred to in paragraph 9.5.1 of this Standard and be countersigned by both parties.

9.3.2 Written accounts should be kept enabling the certification body or authority to trace:

(a) The origin, nature and quantities of agricultural products as referred to in Section 1 of this Standard, which have been delivered to the unit.

(b) The nature, quantities and consignees of products as referred to in Section 1 of this Standard, which have left the unit.

(c) Any other information such as the origin, nature and quantities of ingredients, additives and manufacturing aids delivered to the unit and the composition of processed products, that is required by AsureQuality for the purposes of proper inspection of the operations.

9.3.3 Where products not referred to in Section 1 of this Standard are also processed, packaged or stored in the unit concerned:

- The unit must have separate areas within the premises for the storage of products as referred to in Section 1of this Standard, before and after the operations.

- Operations should be carried out continuously until the complete run has been dealt with, separated by place or time from similar operations performed on products not covered by Section 1 of this Standard.

- If such operations are not carried out frequently, they should be announced in advance, with a deadline agreed on with AsureQuality.

- Every measure should be taken to ensure identification of lots and to avoid mixtures with products not obtained in accordance with the requirements of this Standard.

9.3.4 AsureQuality should ensure a full physical inspection, at least once a year of the unit.  Samples for testing of products not listed in this Standard may be taken where their use is suspected.  An inspection report must be drawn up after each visit and countersigned by the person responsible for the unit inspected.  Additional occasional unannounced visits may also be undertaken according to need or at random.

9.3.5 The operator should give AsureQuality, for inspection purposes, access to the unit and to written accounts and relevant supporting documents.  The operator should also provide the inspection body with any information necessary for the purposes of inspection.

9.3.6 The requirements in respect to the transport as laid down in paragraph 9.2.1 of this Section are applicable.

9.3.7 On receipt of a product referred to in Section 1 of this Standard, the operator shall check:

- The closing of the packaging or contained where it is required.

- The presence of the indications referred to in this Section.  The result of this verification shall be explicitly mentioned in the accounts.   When there is any doubt that the product cannot be verified according to the production system provided for in Section 4 and / or 5 of this Standard, it must be placed on the market without indication referring to the organic production method.