Ottawa, Canada
February 27, 2008
The Centre for Systems Integration expects to be the first
Canadian-owned and operated organic certification body to be
recognized as a Registered Overseas Certifying Body under the
Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS). On February 19, 2008, CSI
welcomed government officials from Japan to conduct an extensive
on-site audit as part of the approval process to grant JAS
accreditation to CSI.
“We’re very pleased with how the audit went,” says Jim
McCullagh, Executive Director of CSI. “The process is moving
along quickly and we expect CSI to be in position as a
Registered Overseas Certifying Body to offer our clients JAS
certification early this year. CSI would then be allowed to
inspect and certify organic farms and processing facilities
directly under the JAS law.”
The certification process involves a CSI-recognized organic
inspector visiting a business to inspect their operations
against the submitted organic system plan and check it against
the JAS organic agricultural product standards. The inspector’s
report is reviewed by CSI, and if the operation is in compliance
with JAS, CSI will grant organic certification.
“Connecting our clients to value-added foreign markets is a top
priority,” says McCullagh, noting that CSI’s current ISO Guide
65 accreditation by the European authority DAP provides the high
level of program integrity their clients need for reliable
access to the European organic market.
“We’re also pleased that DAP will submit an application in March
to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to become a
foreign Accreditation Advisory Body under the Canadian Organic
Regime,” says McCullagh. Under a future CFIA Accreditation
Advisory Body agreement, DAP would be able to audit and accredit
CSI as a certification body to certify against the Canadian
organic standard.
The Centre for Systems Integration, a division of the
Canadian Seed Institute, is
a proven service provider of quality assurance programs in the
agriculture sector. CSI is focused on providing integration of
various certification systems and a linkage into value chains;
expertise in the agriculture and food sector; and timely,
efficient, and approachable service. |
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