New Organic certification marks

ASUREQUALITY ORGANIC PROGRAMME UPDATE

NEW CERTIFICATION MARKS

October 2007 marked the first month of AsureQuality Limited, formed by the merger of AgriQuality and ASURE New Zealand.  Our goals in merging are to create real benefits for our customers, and to strengthen our reputation as a world leader in food quality assurance and biosecurity.  There are good opportunities to achieve more effective use of all resources, including better co-ordination of skills, technology and infrastructure across the food and assurance markets.

Our aim is to ensure as little disruption as possible for you.  All current contracts and operating procedures remain in place and there will be no changes to your organic certification.  

We will be gradually phasing out the AgriQuality brand, and therefore the AgriQuality organic certification mark.  You will be allowed time to use up the existing material you have.
 
When you next plan to print new packaging, flyers or use the organic certification mark on a website, please email certificationservices@asurequality.com and advise us of your registration number. We will email you the new licence agreement and artwork.

                                                            
AsureQuality Certification Mark                 AgriQuality Certification Mark


RECENT CHANGES TO INPUT PRODUCTS

Changes to the status of input products occur for various reasons. If not acted upon immediately these changes can have the potential to impact negatively on your organic certification.  As a result, AsureQuality will be reviewing the restricted input approval process to minimise future risk and will advise you of the details soon.

However, there are two changes that apply to all livestock and horticulture organic producers and needs to be acted upon immediately.  These relate to selenium application and changes to USDA requirements for plant protection products.


BIO-GRO WITHDRAWAL OF SEVERAL COMMON PLANT PROTECTION INPUTS

The USDA has revoked several inert ingredients that have been used in pesticide formulations. These ingredients are now prohibited under USDA NOP. Bio-Gro issued the attached notification based on their assessment of those input products that they certify and contain the affected ingredients.

• Kocide 2000 DS
• Kocide Opti
• Nordox Oleo 40
• Champ Flo
• Cuprofix Disperss
• Excel Oil   
• Excel Spring Oil
• D-C Tron Plus
  
  Initially the USDA made the ruling effective immediately without any phase out period. NZFSA advised AsureQuality that the above products coul not be used by growers whose products will be exported to US, until further notice. This prohibition applied as of Friday, 26 October 2007.
  
  Then on 27 October 2007 (Saturday), NZFSA received a verbal confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirming that they are in the process of consulting with the EPA on this issue due to minimal lead in time and it appears that there is a possibility of the introduction of a lead in period for implementation of the US NOP notification 5008. However, at this point there is no guarantee that there will be a lead in period and even if there is, what this period could be.
  
  Considering the latest update from the USDA, we wish to advise all exporters and organic operators that the deadline of 26 October 2007 for implementation of the USDA NOP notification 5008 can now be removed subject to further notice.  However continued use of these products by operators is at their commercial risk (NZFSA)”.
  
  Any applications after this period will be deemed at your own risk. None of the inputs certified previously by AgriQuality have been affected.
  
  In addition to this list of plant protection products, coated selenium products, used as fertilizers, are also prohibited in the USA.
  
  SELENIUM USE IN FERTILISER APPLICATIONS
  
  Coated forms of selenium used as a trace element in fertiliser are no longer permitted due to the coating containing materials that aren’t allowed under the USDA NOP. This includes the products sold as Selcote and Agsel. From now on only certified or approved forms of selenium trace element fertilisers are allowed.
  
  Please ensure you complete the restricted input approval form prior to applying fertiliser applications to your property or using plant protection products.  All restricted input products (as per section 10 of the standards) need to be approved.  The form is available on our website www.organiccertification.co.nz
  Please email the completed form to organicstechnicalmanager@asurequality.com or fax 09 257 0601.
  
  
  CHANGE OF ORGANICS TECHNICAL MANAGER
  
  Mike Smith is AsureQuality’s new Organics Technical Manager as of 1 November 2007.
  
  Mike has worked across a range of horticultural industry programmes and has considerable experience in working with industry sectors, standard setters, regulators and certification bodies. He has managed the Tesco’s Natures Choice audit programme for AsureQuality and is currently working on bringing the Grafted Grape Vine audit programme under JAS-ANZ accreditation.
  
  We’d like to thank David Brown for his efforts over the past six years as Organics Technical Manager. In his 22 years with the organisation, David has made a significant contribution to the growth and development of the organics programme, having grown with it since its inception.
  
  David will assist Mike in the Organics Technical Manager role and will also continue to deliver organic audits on an external contract basis.
  
  
  
  
  CONTACT INFORMATION
  
  AsureQuality is committed to continual improvement. To ensure timely and accurate services please direct enquiries to the following areas:
  
  Logo and artwork & Export Cert requests:
  certificationservices@asurequality.com or fax 09 257 0601
  
  Restricted input request forms :
  organicstechnicalmanager@asurequality.com or fax 09 257 0601
  
  Technical queries:
  In the first instance please contact your AsureQuality auditor or call AsureQuality Customer Services on 0508 0011 22
  
  General certification queries:
  Please email certificationservices@asurequality.com or phone Customer Services on 0508 00 11 22