The National Organics Program (NOP) organic regulation begins March 19 and will impact a wide range of organic products, including:
- Produce
- Meat
- Dairy
- Non-food products, such as organic sheets or clothing.
- Soaps
- Any other product that is intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic (specified ingredients)”
Release Requirements
This regulation requires the Electronic National Organics Program (eNOP) Certification number, which will be found on the organic certification form, to be transmitted with the entry information for release. The number will be formatted as NNN-NNNNNNNNNN-NNNNNN.
In addition to the organic certification needed for the release of the shipment at the border, the documents must:
- Show “Organic” in the document descriptions (invoice, bill of lading, packing slip)
- Show a full, ten (10) digit tariff number (aka HTS number or classification)
- One (1) eNOP certificate per tariff number
Obtaining an eNOP Certificate
eNOP certificates must be generated by a third-party certifier with the information provided by the exporter of the organic goods. There are several approved certifiers active in both Canada, Mexico, and around the world. These certifiers can be found in the Organic Integrity Database. Your firm will need to contact those certifiers as soon as possible to comply with the regulations.
Note that regulation will allow organic certifiers to issue certificates for a specific time frame and volume. This can cover a week, month, or a season of imports.
Resources
Additional information on the NOP organics rule can be found through the following links:
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
eCFR § 205.100 – What has to be certified
eCFR § 205.101 – Exemptions from certification
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact transitionteamus@willsonintl.com or call 716.260.1971 option 4.