Response times may be slow due to COVID-19. Organic compliance deadlines and inspections may be delayed for businesses affected by this crisis. Visit our COVID-19 webpage to find pandemic-specific information »
Nuestros tiempos de respuesta pueden ser lentos debido al COVID-19. Los plazos de cumplimiento orgánico y las inspecciones pueden ser demorados para los negocios que se ven afectados por esta crisis. Visite nuestra página web de COVID-19 para encontrar información específica a la Pandemia »
To enroll send a completed Global Maket Access (GMA) application to inbox@ccof.org.
Read the complete GMA Manual here: GMA Manual
Operations certified to the National Organic Program (NOP) can ship to Canada through the US-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement. The arrangement recognizes the NOP standards and the Canadian Organic Regime (COR) standards as equivalent, with minor critical variances. The USDA NOP and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) signed the organic standards equivalence arrangement on June 17, 2009.
See the Critical Variance Verification section below for details on demonstrating compliance to these critical variances.
CCOF has developed a helpful International Market Labeling Guide to explain labeling requirements for organic products sold in Canada. All products shipped to Canada must meet the COR labeling requirements. Send all labels to CCOF for pre-approval prior to printing. To learn more, read the CFIA Food Labelling for Industry Requirements.
Download the COR logo and learn more about international labeling requirements by visiting CCOF's Labeling and Logos page. Use of the COR logo is optional for imported products. If the COR logo is used, additional requirements apply.
All certified product entering the United States or Canada through the US-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement must be accompanied by an attestation statement issued by the certifying agent confirming compliance with the terms of the arrangement, including meeting the critical variances of the destination country.
CCOF certified operations can obtain the required attestation statement by enrolling in the CCOF Global Market Access (GMA) Program. After CCOF staff verify your product(s) meet the terms of the equivalence arrangement you will be issued a GMA certificate, with the required attestation statement: “Certified in compliance with the terms of the U.S.-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement”.
Provide your GMA certificate and CCOF Organic Certificate with all shipment documentation.
All exporters must enroll in the GMA program. However, not every ingredient supplier in the supply chain is required have COR equivalence listed on their certificate. This section outlines information required to verify critical variances for ingredient suppliers who do not have COR equivalence listed on their certificate.
Ingredients must be produced without the use of sodium nitrate (Chilean nitrate), must not be produced using hydroponic or aeroponic methods, and non-ruminant livestock ingredients must be from animal systems that meet the stocking rates as set forth in the Canadian Standard (CAN/CGSB 32.310). Many crops are not at risk of being grown using one of the production techniques outlined as a critical variance. To ensure the Equivalence Arrangement verification process is as simple and efficient as possible, CCOF has created a list of crops that are at high risk of being grown using one of the prohibited production techniques.
Suppliers of high risk crops: CCOF will accept a supplier self-attestation or certifier verification that the crops were grown without the use of sodium nitrate and/or hydroponic or aeroponic production.
Suppliers of crops not identified as high risk: CCOF will not seek additional documentation that the crops meet the critical variances, a USDA NOP organic certificate is sufficient.
Suppliers of non-ruminant livestock products: All livestock products from non-ruminants, such as eggs from poultry, must be verified as having met the stocking density critical variance. CCOF will accept a supplier self-attestation or certifier verification of this requirement.
Suppliers of ruminant livestock products: CCOF will not seek additional documentation, a USDA NOP organic certificate is sufficient.