Role of recognised agencies in organic exports
Recognised agencies (RAs) certify organic programmes. Certification allows organic products to be exported for markets that require an official organic assurance programme (OOAP).
RAs are independent agencies that have been recognised by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
What RAs are responsible for
RAs are responsible for verifying organic operators. Verification involves:
- registering organic operators for the OOAP
- evaluating organic management plans (OMPs)
- verifying that operators are following their OMPs and deciding how often they need to be assessed
- resolving non-compliance issues
- checking that organic consignments are eligible to export.
Read about operator and exporter responsibilities under the OOAP
