IOAS’s Iris Rendon attended the annual COR Conformity Verification Body (CVB) face to face meeting at the Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Headquarters in Ottawa, ON November 21 and 22.
This meeting is an opportunity for the CVBs to meet with the scheme owner to calibrate and share knowledge about the COR scheme and associated standards ( Canada Organic Standard CAN-CGSB-32.310-2015, CAN-CGSB-32.311-2015, and the new CAN-CGSB-32.312-2018 for aquaculture).
Specific topics at this meeting included developing a non-compliance and enforcement flow chart that all CFIA designated CVBs will apply , interpretation and application of the CAN-CGSB-32.312-2018 standard for aquaculture, and discussion of proposed updates to the COR Operating Manual. IOAS also engaged in some exciting collaboration opportunities with the other CVBs to improve and advance the delivery of the COR program, including harmonizing processes and developing tools to improve oversight at the CVB as well as the CB and operator levels. These efforts will build on the work the CFIA has been doing with industry groups and other key stakeholders in the organic industry to enhance the effectiveness and delivery of the COR scheme.