Certifying and Regulatory Organizations for Sustainable, Organic, Biodynamic Food and Wine

	France has a national logo for organic products - the AB-Logo (AB = Agriculture biologique) -, which is owned by the French state. Organic products can be labeled with this logo when they contain more than 95 percent organic components, were produced or processed within the EU, and were certified by one of the inspection bodies accredited according to EN 45011. The AB label only certifies the grapes; it guarantees that they have been grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, with some exceptions subject to strictly controlled limits such as the use of copper sulphate to prevent mildew, limited to 6kg per hectare per year over five years. The French Ministry of Agriculture accredited six inspection bodies are accredited according to EN 45011. These are: Ecocert SARL, Qualité France, Ulase, Agrocert, Certipaq, and Aclave. The later five organizations have authorization to certify organic plant and animal products. The Ministry of Agriculture as well as the Ministry of Economic Affairs function as competent authorities according to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91.
	The AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) Organic and Bio-dynamic program is responsible for the management of organic and bio-dynamic produce via a co-regulatory arrangement with AQIS approved certifying organisations. Organic and bio-dynamic produce is prescribed under the Export Control (Organic Produce Certification) Orders. These Orders require AQIS to conduct audits of approved certification organisations to ensure on-going compliance against legislation, the National Standard and importing country requirements. Where an organisation satisfies these requirements, it is given the authority by AQIS to issue organic produce certificates for export purposes. The AQIS Organic and Bio-dynamic program regularly consults with key stakeholders via a consultative committee process, the Organic Industry Export Consultative Committee (OIECC). NATIONAL CERTIFIED REGULATORY MARK (VOLUNTARY) Following the agreement of certifying organisations, AQIS has recently developed an ‘Australian Government Certified’ regulatory mark. The mark does not replace the logos of certifying organisations but will help provide greater assurance for consumers wishing to purchase certified organic and biodynamic produce. While the mark is voluntary, its use is governed by formal conditions enforced by AQIS.
	ARGENCERT has been devoted to certification of organic products since 1991, guaranteeing the organic integrity of the products from origin to destination. ARGENCERT is an ISO Guide 65 (EN 45011) inspection and certification body which assures independence, competence and impartiality in its decisions.
	Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is Australia’s largest certifier for organic and biodynamic produce and has over 1500 operators within its certification system. ACO is a fully-owned subsidiary of Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA). ACO provides certification services to operators from all sectors of the organic industry. Certification ensures compliance with national production standards and allows trace back of all products to their origin. The Australian Certified Organic logo (affectionately known as the 'bud' is Australia's organic industry's leading logo. It carries with it the ability to market organic produce on both domestic and international markets with confidence and market advantage. The logo is well recognised both in Australia, and now in increasingly key areas such as Asia, Europe and the US. Having the largest market share means that organic certification is now becoming synonymous with BFA certification and the BFA logo
	The Syndicat International des Vignerons en Culture Bio-Dynamique (SIVCBD) requires that members be certified winemakers AB for their entire area and also cultivate their entire property in biodynamics. The SIVCBD provides a specification to ECOCERT an independent body that carries out an annual check on each field. Depending on the inspection report, SIVCBD issuing the label BIODYVIN.
	BioGro is a not-for-profit organic producer and consumer organisation, actively working to grow organics in New Zealand. Developed over 25 years, especially for New Zealand organic producers, the BioGro NZ Organic Standards are practical and achievable. BioGro is one of just 30 international organic certification agencies accredited by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). IFOAM represents the best in international organic standards. BioGro provides professional auditing and certification services and holds ISO 17020/EN 45004 accreditation. BioGro is an approved Third Party Agency with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) for exports of BioGro certified products to Europe and USA through the NZFSA Official Organic Assurance Programme.
	California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). CCOF Certification Services is accredited by USDA National Organic Program. To ensure international trade access for our clients, they maintain International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), ISO Guide 65 accreditation and are CAQ registered.
	In a move aimed at boosting community and business confidence in environmental professionals, the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) has launched Australasia's first certification scheme for environmental practitioners. The CENVP program will ensure that talented, skilled and ethical environmental professionals are given due recognition in line with their professional counterparts from engineering, accounting, planning and architecture. Certification will provide a higher level of assurance to the community, employers, clients and professional associates. By certifying practitioners that meet high standards of professional and ethical conduct, the scheme is set to drive environmental practice to new levels.
	Demeter is a network of individual certification organizations. In 1997 Demeter-International was founded for closer co-operation in the legal, economic and spiritual spheres. Presently Demeter International has eighteen (18) memeber organizations from Europe, United States of America, Africa and New Zealand. Demeter-International represents more than 3.500 Demeter producers in approximately forty(40) countries. Demeter is the brand for products from Biodynamic Agriculture. It is a brand that is strictly controlled and there is a comprehensive verification process insures strict compliance with the International Demeter Production and Processing Standards, as well as applicable organic regulations in the various countries -- from agricultural production to processing and final product packaging. Read the Demeter Wine Standards that producers must implement by December 31, 2008.
Australia	The Bio-Dynamic Research Institute was founded in 1957, and is involved in research of the Bio-Dynamic Agricultural Method. In 1967 it was vested with the rights and supervision of the DEMETER Trademark in Australia. Part of this role is the certification of DEMETER quality products. This activity is recognised by the Australian Government through the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) which audits Organic and Bio-Dynamic Standards to meet international requirements. Once the required standard has been established, operators may apply to the Bio-Dynamic Research Institute (BDRI) to become certified users of the DEMETER Trademark. This is an international trademark which has been used in Australia since 1953 to symbolise quality produce achieved by using the Bio-Dynamic Method.
	ECOCERT is one of the world leaders in the certification of organic farming products. Accredited by COFRAC (French Committee for Accredition) and a member of the International Accreditation Forum, Inc. which requires members to comply with appropriate international standards. Certificates issued by bodies accredited by members of the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) are relied upon all over the world because the MLA assures customers that the certificate is credible. ECOCERT certification is in accordance with Regulation CEE 2092/91, ISO 65 (EN 45011) which requires independence, competence and impatiality. It also hold acreditation with the USDA for the NOP (National Organic Programme) and MAFF for JAS in Japan, as well as being approved by many countries on the basis of national regulations. The ECOCERT label is a mark of recognition for professionals wishing to place emphasis on superior quality. (From Ecocert website: http://www.ecocert.com/. Retrieve June 10, 2008)
	The IFOAM Organic Guarantee System enables organic certifiers to become “IFOAM Accredited” and for certified operators to label their products with the IFOAM Seal next to the logo of their IFOAM accredited certifier. More than 30 certifiers worldwide participate in IFOAM accreditation.
	The International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC) was established in 1955 as a global organization affiliated to the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). IOBC promotes environmentally safe methods of pest and disease control. It is a voluntary organization of biological-control workers. There are six (6) geographic sections, representing the major continental regions. APRS - Asia and the Pacific Regional Section ATRS - Afrotropical Regional Section EPRS - East Palearctic Regional Section NRS - Nearctic Regional Section NTRS - Neotropical Regional Section WPRS - West Palearctic Regional Section
	LIVE is certified by the International Organization for Biological Control (IOBC), the official certifying agency in Europe for sustainable agriculture. Products that receive the certification are recognized in the European market place. There has been much interest in the United States over the past several years for products that are of high quality and are produced under our label.
	NATURE & PROGRESS is a leading and oldest organizations of organic farming in France and Europe. It brings together producers and consumers around a common goal: to promote agriculture with a special respect for nature without the refusal of Progress, which puts it at the edge of development agrobiodiversity. NATURE &: PROGRESS is a statement affixed to controlled products including those from organic farming. To use its logo on a wine, a member must have organic certification for his grapes and follow the Nature & Progrès rule-book on vinification. Nature & Progrès recommends, but does not require, that grapes are hand–picked and fermented with their own yeasts. It allows chaptalisation (adding sugar to increase the level of alcohol) up to one percent, fining (with organic egg-white or bentonite), and, in certain circumstances, the use of tartaric acid to adjust acidity. Permitted levels of sulphur dioxide are about half those allowed under EU law.
	In 2001, Protected Harvest was established as an independent certification organization, with the principal mission of advancing and certifying the use of sustainable agriculture practices through the development of stringent, transparent, and quantifiable standards.
	The National Organic Program (NOP) develops, implements, and administers national production, handling, and labeling standards for organic agricultural products. The NOP also accredits the certifying agents (foreign and domestic) who inspect organic production and handling operations to certify that they meet USDA standards.