Compliance and Enforcement Update (4th Quarter, Fiscal Year 2018)

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service sent this bulletin at 12/07/2018 10:20 AM EST
USDA Agricultural Marketing Service national organic program organic insider

Compliance and Enforcement Updates

NOP Enforcement Activities 

  • Enforcement Actions
    Updates to settlement agreements and other suspension, revocation and appeal decisions (scroll down on website).
  • Compliance and Enforcement Report
    Quarterly reports of incoming complaints and appeals, initial actions taken, suspensions, revocations, and case dispositions.
  • Fraudulent Organic Certificates
    Updated list of fraudulent organic certificates that falsely represent agricultural products as certified organic under the USDA organic regulations.

NOP Trains Certifiers on Verifying International Trade Documents

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On November 7, NOP staff hosted a webinar to educate certifiers that work with U.S.-based importers and overseas exporters on how to improve verification of documents on commodities crossing international borders. More than 90 attendees participated in the webinar. The training will be made available through the new online Organic Integrity Learning Center scheduled to launch in 2019.

Organic Integrity Learning Center

On Thursday, November 15, NOP held a virtual town hall for stakeholders to discuss the design and development of the Organic Integrity Learning Center. The new Learning Center will provide resources including professional development and continuing education training for organic certifiers, inspectors, reviewers, and other professionals serving a compliance and enforcement role in organic control systems.

The NOP Enforcement Action Plan outlines progress and plans for improving the program.