The SENASICA started a series of virtual training sessions to get our country’s producers of organic foods and certification organizations to learn about the guidelines of the Memorandum of Understanding on Organic Equivalency Recognition signed between Mexico and Canada.
Representatives of the 20 organizations of organic certification that assist the General Directorate of Food and Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Safety (DGIAAP) and hundreds of producers of organic foods (small and medium enterprises, mostly), connected to the first informational meeting.
At the meeting, the authorities of the SENASICA pointed out that equivalency will boost the competitiveness of producers of organic foods and will reinforce the supply of these types of products in our country, for the benefit of consumers. In this regard, the organic sector must get acquainted and comply with the regulations so their products are exported to Canada without having to undergo a recertification process, which would help lower costs for our nation’s producers and manufacturers of these foods, which mostly are small scale operations.
Also, specialists from the SENASICA explained to the attendees what organic products are included in the Memorandum, the specifications for the labels, and the oversight mechanisms agreed upon by the SENASICA and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which include on-site assessments to verify that the certification meets the program’s requirements.