Organic International Trade Updates

Organic International Trade Updates 

NOTICE TO IMPORTERS

 Effective October 1, 2025, importers may not recondition certified organic shipments that arrive in the United States without a valid National Organic Program Import Certificate (NOPIC). Accordingly, any organic shipment that arrives in the United States after October 1st without a valid NOPIC will be subject to immediate reexport, donation (with restrictions), or destruction. Contact MOSA immediately if you receive an imported organic product without a valid NOPIC for additional information. 

Notice to handlers and exporters of organic alcohol to Japan 

Updates to the US-Japan Organic Equivalency Arrangement are in effect October 1, 2025: Any plant-based products, livestock products, processed products containing plant and livestock ingredients, and now, alcoholic beverages sold or labeled as organic in Japan must be labeled with the Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) organic seal and must meet the labeling requirements for Japan. Products may also display the USDA seal. 

There are 2 methods allowed for application of the JAS seal: 

1. To apply the JAS seal in the US - A U.S.-based farm or business must contract with a JAS-certified importer. 

2. If the U.S.-based farm or business does not have a contract with a JAS-certified importer, a JAS-certified importer must apply the seal to the product once it arrives in Japan. 

USDA Certified wines labeled as “made with organic grapes” may be sold in Japan outside of the updated equivalence arrangement under the following conditions: 

• May not be represented as “organic” 

• May not use the USDA or JAS organic seals 

• May use sulfites and other non-agricultural ingredients as listed under 205.605 

• Must meet all other USDA organic requirements for “made with organic grapes” wine 

• May not use MOSA’s logo.  *If you are already exporting wine to Japan labeled, “made with organic grapes,” and using MOSA’s logo, you may use up labels until March 31, 2027. 

Organic alcohol exported to Japan must have final processing and packaging occur in the United States. Your plan to comply with this requirement must be detailed in your Organic System Plan, and as always, labels making an organic claim must be approved by MOSA prior to use. Operations that export organic product to Japan must contact MOSA to obtain a USDA Export Certificate TM-11. Contact MOSA for additional information!