NASAA certifies a growing number of organic operations outside of Australia, including production and processing operations (comprising over 10,000 small growers) in Brazil, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Poland, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka and Samoa. NASAA's international accreditation ensures the acceptance of product into various markets throughout the World - including the EU, Japan and US - with certification services provided outside of Australia for: * Individual Operations * Grower Collectives * Certified Product/s entering Australia (Re-certification) Whilst the process of Certification is similar to that of Australian operators, there are some key differences as operators outside of Australia do not fall under the accreditation provisions of the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS). We encourage our international readers to view Steps to Certification - Australia as a general guide in conjunction with the specific information provided on this page. Certification of an Individual Operation NASAA provides offshore certification services across the supply chain - from primary producers, to manufacturers, exporters and retailers. The process of certification is consistent with Australian operator requirements excepting primary production. In Australia, all primary producers entering organics are required to undertake a preliminary year in Precertification, at the commencement of which conventional farming methods and inputs are phased out and converted to organic practices; and during which product is unable to be sold with reference to 'organic'. Operations based outside of Australia, however, can move into 'conversion to organic' following inspection and review, provided that evidence is given to substantiate that at least twelve months have elapsed since the point of last application of a prohibited input. Operators must demonstrate the management of operations in accordance with requirements set out in the NASAA Organic Standard, in particular ensuring that a documented organic management plan is in place. Taking into account past land use and practices employed, the 'in-conversion' period may be further shortened where operators can demonstrate compliance with the requisite Standards over several years. Full certification may be granted in some cases where compliance has been demonstrated over a significant period - at least three years. As NASAA services are primarily delivered in the English language, it is essential that applicants are conversant in English (or have access to translation services) to ensure that certification requirements and procedures are fully understood. NASAA offers assistance through providing a concise outline of Standards requirements for effective language translation. Certification of Grower Collectives Many overseas operations, particularly within developing nations, run grower group schemes, which typically comprise a parent marketing or development company working with village-based growers. Central to the certification process is the examination of the management systems of the parent company. The NASAA inspection process is reliant on the existence and maintenance of an auditable, central Internal Control System (ICS), where individual contracts with all registered growers are recorded and managed by the parent body in accordance with the requirements of the NASAA Organic Standard. Forming part of this system, documented records of annual inspections conducted by the parent company are required for all registered growers. The process of certification includes an examination of the central ICS and inspection of a proportion of these registered growers through a physical site visit, contracted to a number of international organic inspectors possessing experience in both the country's crops and cultural techniques. Site inspections will be conducted in all cases where individual landholdings are in excess of 5 ha in total farm size. The period in which full certification may be granted will take into account and recognise that farming practices and methodologies may have been operating in accordance with the NASAA Organic Standard, particularly where modern, conventional farming methodologies have not been extensively employed. It is important to note that NASAA must certify all elements of the supply chain from production to processing, transport, handling and export. Re-certification of product entering Australia With a plethora of organic certifying bodies in operation around the world, international operators and domestic processors and wholesalers may import/export finished product to Australia, which has not been certified under the NASAA Certification program. Recognising the value of the NASAA label in the Australian marketplace, such operators may choose to have the final product recognised and relabelled as NASAA certified. Product Acceptance is the formal recognition by NASAA of the certification of another organisation, which effectively permits the use of the NASAA label on product not primarily certified with NASAA. For exporters of organic product to Australia, the presence of an Australian importer certified by NASAA is fundamental in facilitating the process of Product Acceptance - as the application of the NASAA label must fall under the inspection and certification of NASAA, including all relevant costs. Certification Fees NASAA's fees are competitive with a pricing structure, which serves to underpin the provision of the certification service, facilitating access throughout the world for NASAA certified product. Our standard fee structure comprises an initial application fee and inspection deposit, and annual charges and levy payment system* where applicable. Inspection costs are apportioned and include travel and accommodation**. *Dependent on the nature of the project, consideration would be given to the removal of the variable levy and the setting of a higher per diem annual inspection rate. **Costs may be lowered where local accommodation and travel are coordinated by the operator. Refer to our Fee Schedule for further detail on applicable certification costs. Make an Application.   In Focus: Colega. East Timor Colega is a NASAA certified organic company based in East Timor, whose production operation is helping to regenerate activity in the area, through capitalising on an abundance of this natural resource. More >>         In Focus: Forestrade. Indonesia An organisation with philanthropic roots, ForesTrade is a NASAA certified operation whose projects are designed to positively contribute to partnering producers, producer organisations, and communities in Indonesia and Guatemala. More >> © 2005 NASAA. All Rights Reserved. View our Disclaimer and Privacy Statement.