USDA Revokes COFA's NOP Certification

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently revoked accreditation of the California Organic Farmers Association (COFA) as an organic certifying agent, according to the Central Valley Business Times.

"COFA is no longer authorized by USDA's National Organic Program to certify organic crop, livestock, wild crop, and handling operations."

The National Organic Program (NOP) accredited COFA as a certifying agent in 2002, but during submission of its five-year renewal application, NOP conducted an audit and found several points of non-compliance.  "COFA submitted corrective actions," but NOP determined that "COFA had not adequately corrected 10 of the non-compliances."

Areas of noncompliance "included review of a facility in which an employee held a partial interest, inadequate retention of records and procedures, and insufficient inspection of and communication with certified operators."

For more information on the National Organic Program, click here to visit the National Agricultural Law Center's Reading Room on the subject.
To read the Central Valley Business Times story, click here.

Posted: 09/13/2010