Last updated – April 2025
The United States has a recognition agreement with New Zealand, first established in 2002. Under the recognition agreement, the USDA authorizes a foreign government to accredit certifying agents in that country to the USDA organic standards. These foreign certifying agents are then allowed to certify organic operations in that country to the USDA organic standards. Products certified under the recognition agreement may then be exported to the United States.
Scope. This recognition agreement covers products exported to the United States. The agreement covers USDA organic agricultural products produced in New Zealand and certified by a New Zealand government-accredited certifying agent.
Allowed product categories: Crops, Wild Crops, Livestock, and Processed Products.
Terms of the Recognition Agreement. All operations must be certified according to the USDA organic regulations; this includes all operations in the supply chain of any certified organic products.
Trade Documentation. U.S. imports of New Zealand organic products under the recognition agreement must be associated with an NOP Import Certificate. New Zealand government-accredited certifying agents generate NOP Import Certificates in USDA's GLOBAL Organic Integrity Database (Global Integrity).
Labeling. Products produced under the agreement must meet all USDA organic labeling requirements. USDA Organic Labeling | USDA Organic Seal
Accredited Certifying Agents. New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) maintains an updated list of certifying agents (referred to as “recognized agency”). Individual certified operations can be found by going to the websites of the accredited certifying agents below. Operations that export products from New Zealand to the U.S. under the recognition agreement are also listed in the Global Integrity under the Trade Partners tab.
BioGro New Zealand Ltd.
Digital Nomads
Level 1, 60 Cuba Street, Te Aro
Wellington, 6011
New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 801 9741
Fax: +64 4 801 9742
Email: info@biogro.co.nz
Website: https://www.biogro.co.nz/
AsureQuality Limited
Level 2, 2A Pacific Rise, Mt Wellington
Private Bag 14946, Panmure
Auckland 1060
Phone: +64 9 573 8000
Fax: +64 9 573 8118
Email: organics@asurequality.com
Website: https://www.asurequality.com/services/certification/organic-certification/
Oversight. The NOP assesses MPI’s systems on a regular basis to ensure that the terms of the recognition agreement are being met.