1400 Independence Avenue, SW.

Room 2648-S, STOP 0268

Washington, DC 20250-0268

NOTICE OF SUSPENSION OF ACCREDITATION – CUC TURKEY OFFICE

May 9, 2019

Alvaro Martinez

Control Union Certifications

P.O. Box 161 

Ad Zwolle 8000 

Netherlands

Dear Mr. Martinez:

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP) conducted 

an onsite renewal audit of Control Union Certification’s (CUC) organic program on October 26 –

November 2, 2018. As part of this audit, the auditors evaluated the implementation and 

effectiveness of the corrective actions from the noncompliance identified during the audit of 

CUC’s satellite office in Izmir, Turkey (CUC-Turkey) conducted in July 2017. The renewal 

audit revealed a continued lack of knowledge of the USDA organic regulations and NOP 

policies. The results of a separate compliance review of operations certified by CUC-Turkey

further demonstrated that the staff do not have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the 

USDA organic regulations and NOP policies. As a result, the NOP issued CUC a combined 

notice of noncompliance and proposed suspension of CUC-Turkey on April 3, 2019. 

The NOP is hereby suspending the accreditation of CUC-Turkey as a NOP certifying agent for 

one year, from May 9, 2019 through June 9, 2020. CUC-Turkey is directed to cease all 

certification activities in the countries where the satellite office conducts these activities: Turkey, 

Kyrgyzstan, Republic of Moldova, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, 

Ukraine, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Greece. In addition, CUC-Turkey office must 

make all client files available to the NOP pursuant to §205.665(f) of the USDA organic 

regulations.

CUC must immediately notify its certified operations and applicants for certification of the 

following:

a. CUC-Turkey will no longer provide USDA organic certification services as of May 9,

2019.

b. All operations certified by CUC-Turkey must inform the NOP

(AIAInbox@ams.usda.gov) within 60 days of the notification date whether they have

applied with a new certifier or are surrendering their certification. Operations applying

for certification with another certifier, including if they are applying to another CUC

office, must provide the name of the certifier and the date of application.

c. If an operation does not inform the NOP that it is has applied for certification with

another certifier or surrendering certification within 60 days of the notification date, the
1400 Independence Avenue, SW.

Room 2648-S, STOP 0268

Washington, DC 20250-0268

NOP will issue the operation a noncompliance, which may lead to the suspension of the 

operation’s certification.

d. Operations applying for certification with another certifier must inform the NOP

(AIAInbox@ams.usda.gov) once they have received their new organic certificate.

e. Operations that have applied for certification with another certifier may use their existing

inventory of labels approved by CUC-Turkey identifying CUC as the certifying agent if

the use-up is approved by the new certifier according to the NOP’s instructions for label

use-up approval.

Additionally, CUC must submit to the NOP the following by May 10, 2019:

1. A copy of the notification sent to applicants and certified operations as outlined above.

2. A current list of new applicants that applied to CUC-Turkey for certification, if

applicable, and operations certified by CUC-Turkey, including operation name, physical

and mailing addresses, email address, phone number, and name of primary contact.

Please be advised that CUC-Turkey may seek reinstatement of its accreditation after the 

suspension period by submitting a request to the Secretary for reinstatement of its accreditation. 

The request must be accompanied by evidence demonstrating correction of each noncompliance 

and corrective actions taken to comply with and remain in compliance with the Organic Food 

Productions Act and the USDA organic regulations (7 C.F.R. 205).

If you have any questions regarding this notice, please contact Graham Davis, Accreditation

Manager, at Graham.Davis@ams.usda.gov or (202) 692-0047.

Sincerely,

Cheri Courtney

Director, Accreditation and International Activities Division 

USDA-AMS National Organic Program