Information for AFRISCO's clients

Ground rules

Ground rules -  Organic production
Ground rules -  Inspection
Ground rules -  Your contract with AFRISCO

Afrisco certification provides a service to operators which assists them to keep to international norms for organic production, and to profit from the price premium that consumers are willing to pay.  Similarly, it provides a service to consumers by its assurance that the certified produce they purchase has genuinely been produced by organic means.

The only way that this service may remain viable is through absolute integrity of the inspection and certification processes, and through constant attention by clients to their own quality management.  Ecocert-Afrisco therefore has to insist on a set of firm ground rules with its clients, which form a part of the contract between the parties .  These rules may protect operators, independent inspectors and Ecocert-Afrisco itself.  They are set out in three sections below: organic production, inspections, and your contract with Ecocert-Afrisco Pty Ltd.

Organic production

1.     Keep in mind that an organic system is an active management system, striving for long-term sustainable management of natural resources, and the ongoing building of soil nutrients.  That is much more than the non-use of chemicals, or “organic-by-neglect.”  A farmer needs to maintain or increase the fertility of the soil and tackle pests, diseases and weeds using methods that are acceptable in terms of the organic standards.

2.     Similarly, organic management does not stop in the field.  It includes careful attention to handling and storage and transport, to maintain organic integrity, and to minimise microbial hazards.  Cleanliness and good order are the basis of reducing microbial food safety hazards. 

3.     Set up a system for auditing your own risks and hazards throughout the year, so that we can see how you have reacted to difficulties in the management system.  Our job is to verify your own quality system, which should operate throughout the year as a formal, documented management system.

4.     Make sure you know the relevant standards.  The inspector needs to be convinced that operators have the required knowledge, commitment, equipment, buildings, and record-keeping systems to be able to comply with the organic standards.

5.     Keep your operational records, audit trails and financial records up-to-date.  This includes your records of all purchased inputs, by description, origin and price, and records of all sales.  Good record-keeping practices are an important part of any certified system, and this must apply also to agricultural activities.

6.     Notify Ecocert-Afrisco if you make any changes to the organic production system, or you introduce new production line.  This may necessitate an additional inspection, or just a new affidavit from the operator if Ecocert-Afrisco is satisfied that there is no substantial change to the farming system.  You MUST get approval before making changes, or your certification will be negated. 

7.     Changes in your production system may also require an amended certificate: for instance if you take a field out of organic production.  There may be times also when a certificate needs to be extended.  ALWAYS inform us of changes or possible changes so that we keep the certificate accurately and relevantly reflecting your organic production. 

8.     The Afrisco organic standards may be changed from time to time, in line with changes in the national standards, or changes in the national requirements for Ecocert-Afrisco’s accreditation.  Operators will be given adequate warning of such changes, and of the dates by which a written description of the method of compliance to the change should be submitted.

9.     Farmers are expected to monitor soil fertility through annual soil analyses, which should include carbon content.  (Increasing carbon content in soils over time through good organic management and planting trees are two things you can do to slow global warming.)    Please provide a representative mix of soil from 6 areas on the farm that are under organic management. The total sample weight is to be 1 kg, which should be collected in a washed plastic bag (unless the lab provides an alternative collection bag) and then dispatched to an AgriLASA laboratory. 

10.   Ask your local office of the Department of Agriculture to recommend an AgriLASA laboratory for the analysis, and make a copy available to the inspector.

Inspection

  1. Inspectors are contracted by Ecocert-Afrisco for each inspection.  If an operator does not wish to be inspected by the assigned inspector for some reason, this should be raised with Ecocert-Afrisco BEFORE the inspection.

  2. Ecocert-Afrisco will pay the inspectors.  Applicants should not provide any monetary or other reward to the inspectors at any time.

  3. Inspectors act as agents of Ecocert-Afrisco.

  4. Where there is parallel production at an enterprise (i.e., both organic and non-organic production), the inspector will need to inspect both systems, in order to assess how far the organic operation is affected by the non-organic operation, and the risk of contamination.

  5. The non-organic operations on neighbouring farms are also of concern to the inspector, and may require you to keep some distance between these and your own organic operations.  It is useful to request neighbouring enterprises to sign an affidavit (which Ecocert-Afrisco will provide) concerning their operations.

  6. The inspector may not offer consultancy advice to any operator.  For instance, s/he may point out that an audit trail needs to be set up, but may not assist in its design.  If that were to occur, the next time that inspector were to inspect the operation, s/he would be inspecting his/her own work, which would automatically lead to bias.  This rule is an important one, in terms of ISO 65 rules on certification, which form the basis of our international acceptability and reputation.

  7. Operators must accept random inspections without warning at any time, and they must accept soil residue and water residue tests whenever they are requested.  These can be a nuisance for operators, but it should keep in mind that certified organic enterprises in all countries are subject to the same requirement, and there is advantage in being certified to international standards.

  8. Inspectors are required to investigate non-compliance and the possibility of fraud.  This is not a reflection of your management practices, but a necessary routine.  Please accept it as a contribution to your – and our – market acceptability.

  9. Inspectors will require farm and field maps and histories (of land and animals) and soil and water tests or, in the case of processing operations, diagrams of equipment and flow diagrams.  It is useful to have these prepared before they arrive.  Similarly, make sure that you have up-to-date records prepared, before the normal annual inspection, on the following:

  1. Under ISO 65 guidelines, the inspector’s report will not make a specific recommendation on certification.  But it will point out the areas that are in compliance with organic standards, the areas that are not in compliance, and immediate changes that are required to bring the operation into compliance.  An exception to this applies when the inspector sees flagrant disregard of organic rules, and takes steps to alert the certification body that certification should be stopped immediately until remedial measures have been introduced.

  2. Confidentiality of information cannot take precedence over the inspector’s obligations to report fraud or suspected fraud to Ecocert-Afrisco, and to meet national obligations to report the infringement of law to the appropriate state authority.

  3. The inspector may be required to take samples for residue testing if there are suspicions of residues or the use of genetically modified material.  He will indicate the name of the laboratory to which the sample will go (marked anonymously) in case you have objections to the particular lab.   Operators will be required to pay for the costs of the laboratory analysis

Your contract with AFRISCO

  1. Applicants should know that Ecocert-Afrisco will suspend or withdraw certification from operators who are in breach of contract.  The contract includes all the ground rules set out in this document.

  2. Payment for inspection and annual assessment for certification must be paid before inspection.  There is no refund if the certification is not approved.  The payment is to cover the inspector’s fee and Ecocert-Afrisco overheads.  The amount of the fee will be estimated by us after we have evaluated the initial questionnaire sent to the operator.

  3. The inspectors you meet will have been trained by Ecocert-Afrisco, and will receive regular in-service training.  However, if there are any problems with the inspectors, it is useful to inform the Ecocert-Afrisco administration of them.  We have procedures to deal with complaints, and you will be informed of the outcome.

  4. The Afrisco inspectors and all members of the Certification Committee are required to provide an annual affidavit concerning the confidentiality of information supplied by applicants and certified operators.  They also provide an annual statement of interests.  Any breach should be reported to the Ecocert-Afrisco administration, and will be severely dealt with. 

  5. The operator indemnifies Ecocert-Afrisco, its members, its staff and its inspectors against any claim whatsoever resulting from or connected with enforcement of the standards and implementation of the agreement between the parties.

  6. In the case of disagreement between the parties, the matter will be referred to arbitration. 

  7. Ecocert-Afrisco will regularly publish and publicise the names of operations it has certified as meeting organic standards, or organic in conversion and the time periods of the certification.  It will also publish the names of operations that have been suspended or disqualified from organic certification by Ecocert-Afrisco because of breach of contract.

  8. Under ISO 65 Guidelines, all certified operators are also required to maintain complaint logs, related to compliance and deficiencies in their organic certification.  All written complaints concerning your organic production must be maintained on file, as well as the actions and timeliness in dealing with the substance of the complaints, and the results of those actions.  These will be routinely evaluated by the inspector and reported to Ecocert-Afrisco, and they form a part of the evaluation for organic certification in the following year.

  9. Certification is granted for up to a year when the operation has met the organic standards for the requisite period, and commits to continue.  This requires that the operator:

  1. In order for certification to be maintained, the operation commits to

  1. Ecocert-Afrisco may extend the period of validity of the certificate for up to six months if acceptable reasons are provided, but will keep to the yearly inspection requirement in all circumstances.

  2. Ecocert-Afrisco may extend or reduce the product scope of the certificate, after evaluating any proposed changes to:

  1. Suspending and/or withdrawing certification will occur for infringements of organic integrity.   When the infringement has been corrected then the sanction may be rescinded.

  2. If you have any complaints with our service, or wish to appeal the certification decision, please write (or e-mail) a complete statement, and we will inform you of the procedures by which we undertake to deal with your problem to the best of our ability. 


Your use of the Afrisco logo

  1. Use of the Afrisco logo or name is contingent on continuation of the production methods used at the time of the last inspection, and an annual payment of fees and inspection.  The unauthorised use of the Afrisco logo and certificate are prohibited.  The logo may only be used on products or their packaging to indicate organic certification to the specified organic standard, and may not be used for any other purpose.  Similarly with the inspector’s report that you will receive: no part of this should be used for any other purpose than to explain your operation and its organic conformity (or lack of conformity) to you and to us.  All references to Afrisco certification, including the use of the logo, must stop at the end of the valid period of certification.   

  2. The logo may be in the mixed colours of the original, or in one plain colour that suits the client’s labels.  It should be accompanied by the client’s Afrisco number.  Any document bearing the logo must be approved by Afrisco prior to any distribution or disclosure. Afrisco must decide within two weeks of the receipt of the document. At the end of this delay, the lack of reply shall be interpreted as an agreement decision.

  3. The right of use of the logo applies exclusively to its use on packaging and labels of duly certified products as well as on advertisements specifically and only related to such products.

  4. If at any time it is found that there is some problem with organic management, AFRISCO has the right to insist on a recall of all distributed production in order to remove all indications that the product is organic, and to remove the Afrisco logo.  The operator must then inform all their clients, and also any relevant authorities.

  5. If there is found to be misuse of Afrisco’s logo, through

we will request that you immediately take steps to stop the misuse, and sign a letter to us indicating that you have done so.  If you persist in not taking corrective action, we will withdraw your organic certificate and publish our reasons for doing so.  If the problem persists, we will be forced to take legal action to protect the certification mark.

____________________________________________

Go to next section:  Group Applications

Or to last section:  Fee structure