ICEA has been recently accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) for the inspection and certification activities in compliance with the standard provided by the Canada Organic Regime (COR). The COR rules the production, labeling and trading procedures of foodstuffs from organic agriculture in Canada, and it was enforced in June the 30th 2009.
Main information about the COR Standard:

•    The COR standard is applied to the foodstuffs for animal and human use
•    The foodstuffs from organic farming produced under the European laws (norms, regulation) by the June 30th 2009, will be subjected to a two years free trading period, a so called “window time”, at the end of which the producer will have to obtain the COR Standard certfication. These products could not use the COR logo on their label.
•    The foodstuffs from organic agriculture produced or that will be produced after the 30th June 2009 and that will be sold in Canada have to be certified in conformity with the COR.
Equivalence between the National Organic Programme (NOP) and the Canada Organic Regime (COR):
•    In June 17th 2009 the CFIA and the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) signed the equivalence agreement between the NOP and the COR standards .
The agreement allows the NOP certified operators to export NOP products to Canada with the possibility to insert the COR logo on the label. However, the label have to be suitable with the COR law (regulation, norms).

Restrictions of the COR Standard compared to the NOP Standard
•    The COR does not provide for the certification of the hydroponic and airponics (not allowed by the European law too)
•    The agricultural products obtained with sodium nitrate, allowed both under the NOP and EU legislation, cannot be traded as organic in Canada.
•    Livestock products must be obtained respecting the shelter and deambulation places (internal and external) specified by the COR regulation.
The firms already NOP certified willing (planning) to ask for the COR certification are pleased to contact ICEA office in Bologna Telephone number +39.051.27.29.86