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201 W. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53703
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Madison, WI 53707-7970

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Scott Walker
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IMPORTANT: As of July 1st, 2011, functions once performed by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce have been moved to other state agencies and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The former Commerce web site will continue to exist for the next several months as resources are moved to new web site locations. We will make every attempt possible to direct our users to the new locations as web resources are moved.

Bureau of Export Development
PO Box 7970
Madison, WI 53707-7970
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Vol. 8 #6, July 2009

U.S. – Canada Agreement for Organic Trade Equivalence
US and Canadian Organic Certification logosThe U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on June 17, 2009, that after a review by both nations of the other's organic certification program, any products meeting the standard in the United States can be sold as organic in Canada, and vice versa.  This should greatly expand opportunities for organic producers in both countries.

Under a determination of equivalence, producers and processors that are certified to the National Organic Program (NOP) standards by a U.S. Department of Agriculture accredited certifying agent do not have to become certified to the Canada Organic Product Regulation (COPR) standards in order for their products to be represented as organic in Canada. Likewise, Canadian organic products certified to COPR standards may be sold or labeled in the United States as organically produced. Both the USDA Organic seal and the Canada Organic Biologique logo may be used on certified products from both countries. The COPR goes into effect on June 30, 2009.

Canada is the largest estimated export market for U.S. organic products. USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service office in Ottawa estimates that more than 80% of Canada's organic consumption comes from imports, and approximately 75% of those imports come from the United States.  Estimates of the total market for organic products in Canada range from US$2.1 to US$2.6 billion; meanwhile sales of organic products in the United States totaled US$24.6 billion in 2008. Actual trade flows are difficult to track because the United States has not developed international harmonized system codes for organic products.