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.
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.
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 USDA’s GLOBAL Organic Integrity Database.
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: www.biogro.co.nz
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.