U.S., Switzerland align on organic produce trade

The United States and Swiss governments said starting July 10 organic products certified in the U.S. or Switzerland may be sold as organic in either country.    The U.S. and Swiss governments said starting July 10 that organic products certified in the United States or Switzerland may be sold as “organic” in either country.
   The organic equivalency arrangement between the two countries will streamline organic trade, strengthening organic agriculture and supporting businesses on a global scale, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.
   USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service said the country’s organic produce industry now encompasses more than 19,000 organic businesses and accounts for $39 billion annually in U.S. retail sales. Since the start of the Obama Administration, the United States has signed five organic equivalency arrangements with other countries, including Switzerland, Canada, the European Union, Japan and Korea. 
   Through these bilateral arrangements, U.S. organic farmers and businesses have streamlined access to over $35 billion international organic markets, USDA said.
   To secure the arrangement, technical experts from the United States and Switzerland conducted on-site audits to ensure their regulations, quality control measures, certification requirements and labeling practices were compatible. The United States and Switzerland will review each other’s programs periodically to verify that the arrangement’s terms are being met, USDA said.
   “This new partnership reflects the integrity of the National Organic Program and USDA’s rigorous organic standards,” said Anne Alonzo, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service administrator, which oversees the National Organic Program, in a statement. “We look forward to providing Swiss consumers with more U.S. organic products and being able to enjoy organic Swiss products.”