Executive Director's Report

Hello, Friends! Since Spring has sprung, are you feeling that Spring energy? Here at MOSA, we feel it. Clients are submitting their annual updates to their Organic System Plans, our inspectors are out doing inspections, we’re in the thick of initial reviews, and we’re taking lots of phone calls to answer questions and provide information.

In this newsletter, you will find quite a bit of information about the new Strengthening Organic Enforcement rule, the most significant change to the national organic regulations since the creation of the NOP! The rule safeguards confidence in organic products and minimizes fraud throughout the organic supply chain. All operations, including certification agencies like MOSA, must meet all of the requirements in the Rule by March 19, 2024, and we want to make sure you are ready! Please read Jackie DeMinter’s informative article about this Rule on page 4. There are many operations (non-processing handlers) that pre-SOE were exempt, but will now have
to be certified.

If you have partners that are a part of your supply chain, or know of any new operations that will need certification, we’d like to offer you a “finders fee” if you refer them to MOSA. We are pleased to announce a new Client Referral Award to any MOSA-certified operation that refers a new client to MOSA for certification. When that operation submits their OSP and paperwork and pays their certification fee, both you, and the new client, will receive a $50 discount on your certification fees! We’ll be sending more information about SOE and the details of the Client Referral Award in the near future.

Recently, several staff members from MOSA attended the annual NOP and Accredited Servicers Association training in New Orleans. MOSA is a proud member of the Accredited Certifiers Association (ACA), which envisions a world in which the USDA Organic label is always trusted and valued. Its primary mission is to ensure consistent implementation of Organic Regulations through collaboration and education of accredited certification agencies, i.e. developing uniform criteria for
implementation of the National Organic Program, training, support and networking, and hosting a listserv for discussion of issues impacting organic certification.

At the meeting in New Orleans, MOSA was extremely honored to receive the 2023 National Organic Program Director’s Award! From the NOP, “Over the past three years, MOSA stood out for its consistent, effective communication and collaboration with NOP staff on a wide range of issues and day-to-day operations, including fraud
investigations. MOSA’s regular, open collaboration with the Program provided increased insight into the real-world application of the organic standards while allowing the NOP to more effectively ensure
certifiers are consistently applying the standards for USDA-certified farms and businesses.” We are proud and honored to have received this award and we will happily continue to work collaboratively
with the NOP and other certifiers.

As always, if you have any questions or comments about anything in this newsletter or about MOSA please feel free to contact me at Cori@MosaOrganic.org or 844-637-2526.

Thank you for reading, and thanks for your continued commitment to organic integrity.