This document provides an overview of the BioGro organic certification process. It discusses why farmers should choose BioGro certification, including access to international and domestic markets. It outlines the certification steps such as developing an organic management plan, additional documentation requirements, handling parallel production, using contractors, and the certification cycle. It also covers the input approval process, finding certified inputs, market access for regulated vs. unregulated markets, and the benefits of international vs. domestic certification. The overall purpose is to guide farmers through the BioGro certification requirements and process.

1. Marcus Coomer, Certification Programme Manager
04/07/2014
The Atkinson Farm - BioGro #209

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Welcome !

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Who is BioGro New Zealand Ltd ?
NZ Biological Producers and Consumers Society (BioGro Society)
– Established 1983
– A not-for-profit incorporated society & charity
– “to promote organic production and provide a credible certification system”

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Who is BioGro New Zealand Ltd ?
New Zealand’s leading organic certifier
– 700 Licensees
– >1000 Certified operations
– 58,000 ha certified land

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Where does BioGro certify
.

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Scope
BioGro certifies the full range of scope...
We certify businesses and organisations in all organic sectors including:
•Primary production
•Processed products
•Packhouse & Coolstores
•Retailers & Wholesalers
•Importers & Exporters
•Aquaculture
•Wild harvest
•Health and Body care
•Textiles
•Inputs for organics
•Service providers

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Scope
Certification that stands up to international scrutiny...
• ISO 17020/ EN 45004 Accreditation by JAS-ANZ
• ISO 65 Accreditation by JAS-ANZ and IOAS
• Third Party Agency (TPA) recognition for the MPI Official Organic Assurance
Programme (OOAP)
• International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM) Accreditation
• Registered Overseas Certification Body (ROCB) for Japanese Agricultural Standard
(JAS) for Organic with Japan MAFF
• Canada Organic Regime (COR) Accreditation with CFIA
• EU Equivalent Control Body listing under EU regulation no 508/2012
• NATRUE accreditation for natural cosmetics

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Benefits
More than just a logo...
Access to international and domestic markets !

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Benefits
Certification to multiple standards…
• BioGro Organic Standards
• USDA NOP (through US-Canada equivalency)
• Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) Law
• Canada Organic Regime (COR)
• EC Organic Regulations 834/2007 and 889/2008
(as equivalent to BioGro Organic Standards)
• Pacific Organic Standard (POS)
• NATRUE (natural cosmetics)
• MAF Technical Rules (Ministry of Primary Industries Official Organic
Assurance Programme)

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Purpose
Drivers
• Access to export
markets
• Independent
verification of organic
claims
What the consumer wants...
• safer products
• minimum levels of chemicals
• low levels of possible harmful substances
• traceability
• ethical sourcing
The challenges
• No industry regulation in NZ
• Greenwash & organic cheaters
– discrediting legitimate products

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Why certify with BioGro ?
- Purpose
• Your customer
(Processor/Exporter/distributors/retailer)
– Require documentary evidence of organic status
• Integrity
– “standing up to scrutiny”
• Traceability
– farm to face
• Protection for the producer
– From false/misleading claims
• Market opportunities
– Product differentiation
• Consumer assurance
– Independent verification that internationally recognised standards are being met

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Certification Process
Outline
1. OMP Organic Management Plan
2. Additional documents
3. Parallel production
4. Contractors
5. Certification cycle
6. Conversion
7. Audits
8. Multiple operations – Primary, Processing, import, export,
distribution etc
9. Updating documents

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Certification Process
1. Organic Management Plan (OMP)
Your Organic Management Plan, or
OMP, outlines how your property
will be managed to comply with the
Organic Standards

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Certification Process
2. Additional documents
Site map showing north direction, surrounding
roads/landmarks and defining blocks.
Soil multi resdiue test including organic matter and
organichlorine test.
Affidavit and supporting spray diaries if applying for
backdating.
List of inputs to be approved.

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Certification Process
3. Parallel Production
Where production of certified produce of different organic status and/or non organic
status, this is classed as parallel production. Not all standards allow parallel production
of organic and non organic, and in any case where parallel production exists
procedures must be provided to demonstrate that:
i.All organic production is clearly identified and separated from nonorganic production;
and
ii.All shared equipment and machinery is cleaned prior to use in the organic area; and
iii.A conversion plan is in place for all non organic areas; and
iv.Staff are aware of the importance of maintaining the integrity of certified organic
production and receive training and regular updates on this.

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Certification Process
4. Contractors
A licensee may subcontract some aspects of their organic production to
another operator who offers a certain service where that contractor is not
certified in their own right, examples include:
•Picking, Pruning, mowing, fertiliser spreading, transport
Where a contractor is used the licensee must have an agreement outlining how
the orgnaic integrity of the product will be maintained including:
•Machinery and equipment cleandowns, segregation during transport etc
Where a sub contractor adds value to your final product, for example making
wine from certified grapes, and are not certified this is considered as a
sublicensee.

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Certification Process
5. The certification cycle

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Certification Process
6. Conversion

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Certification Process
7. Audits
Initial audit and renewal audits :
Record keeping – All records relating to production, inputs and sales may be
requested and must be available during the audit
Documents for verification of compliance must be kept for a minimum of 5
years including, but not limited to:
Site map, inputs used including invoices, production records, reconciliation data
Additional audits – Surveillance, Sublicensee, Random, Unannounced

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Certification Process
8. Additional operations
Processing – Chaning the composition and/or adding value to an agricultural
product e.g apples into apple juice
Distribution – Coolstores and warehouses, transporters, wholesalers, retailers,
importers, brand owners and exporters
Import and export – Using ingredients not made in NZ and exporting
ingredients to regulated markets

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Certification Process
9. Updating documents
Changes to the OMP
Following issuing of BioGro certification, any proposed changes to the OMP,
including inputs, changes to land areas, production etc not listed in the current
OMP, must be approved by BioGro in writing prior to those changes being
made.
This is important – especially for inputs used.

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Certification Process
10. Chain of custody
Certification relies on a complete chain of custody i.e all links in the chain must be
certified for the final product to be marketed as organic.

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Input Approvals
Outline
1. What, why, when?
2. What kind of inputs need approving
3. Input approval process
4. Where to find BioGro certified inputs for organic production
5. Non certified inputs

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Input Approvals
1. What, why, when
What is an input?
An input is a material or product brought onto a property and/or used in
certification production.
Why do I need to have inputs approved?
Input approval is required to ensure the products used in your organic production
system comply with the standards for your destination market.
When do apply and when can I use an input?
Inputs must be applied for and approved by BioGro as part of your OMP prior to
use.

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Input Approvals
2. What kind of inputs need approving?
BioGro lists inputs into 7 main categories:
•Soil and plant nutrtion – Fertilisers etc
•Pest and Disease Management – spraying oils,
pheremones etc
•Livestock Treatment – Health tonics, homeopathics
etc
•Livestock Feed and Nutrition – Suppimentary feed,
salt licks etc
•Incoming Livestock – Purchased stock, contract
fattening etc
•Nuresery plants, seeds and propagation material –
Trees, seed mixs etc
•Facility Management – Cleaners, posts, etc

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Input Approvals
3. Input approval process
Need an
input?
Check the
certified
options
Add it to
your OMP
BioGro to
approve or
decline
Conditions
met? Input
can be
used
Once
Approved
Check for
any
conditions

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Input Approvals
4. Where to find BioGro certified inputs for organic production
BioGro Input Directory:
Each year BioGro produces a hard copy input directory available to al licensee’s
BioGro Website:
The BioGro web site and licensee login function both have tools for searching for
certified inputs

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Input Approvals
5. Non Certified Inputs
The first option is to look for BioGro certified Inputs.
Not available as BioGro certified? Apply for the product via the Input Approval
process and supply as much formulation detail as you can, key information to
include:
•Formulation and/or Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
•GMO declaration
•Manufacturing flow chart
BioGro can assess the product and approve it’s use for you if compliant.

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Market Access
Outline
1. Regulated or unregulated
2. Internationally accredited vs Domestic
3. How to chose what market is required

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Formulation and Ingredients
1. Regulated or unregulated?
Regulated markets
•European Union China
•United States Korea
•Canada Brazil
•Taiwan Others…
•Japan
Unregulated markets
(including Australia)
Market access certification
required
BioGro certification can be used
No additional requirements

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Market Access
2. Internationally Accredited vs Domestic
Internationally accredited
Producers on BioGro’s internationally accredited programme can export
their product as organic, sell their products to organic processors and be
considered for regulated market compliance
Domestic
Producers on BioGro’s Domestic programme can sell their produce locally
and claim organic status on a simple processed product made from produce
off their own property containing no more than 1 added ingredient or
processing aid, for example Apples into apple juice using ascorbic acid.

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Market Access
4. How to chose what market is required
Market access relies on the chain of custody, for an end product to be certified it
must meet the market requirements every step of the way.
To ensure your product is certified to the correct markets check with your
exporter, importer or purchaser of the product to determine where it will be
going.

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Questions
Any questions?
www.biogro.co.nz
Certification
Marcus Coomer– marcus@biogro.co.nz
04 801 8741 or dd 04 801 0744
Grace Leung – grace@biogro.co.nz
04 801 8741 or dd 04 801 0745
Anne de Ferron – anne@biogro.co.nz
04 801 8741 or dd 04 801 0747
Customer services
Eljay Maunder – eljay@biogro.co.nz
04 801 8741 or dd 04 801 0748