SAGARPA

SECRETARIA DE AGRICULTORA,
GANADERIA, DESARROLLO RURAL,
ESCA V ALIMENTACION

‘SERVICIO NACIONAL DE SAATDAD,
NOCUIOADY CALIDAD AGROALINENTARIA Service

SENASICA USDA Aericutura

PROGRAM OF WORK FOR THE ORGANIC COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE

The National Service for Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and Quality, and the Agricultural
Marketing Service plan to conduct the following program of work:

1.

Actions to strengthen monitoring and controls applicable to organic products:

a.

Within a period of six months from the date of signature of the Terms of Reference, both
countries are to implement the use of import certificates (transaction certificates) for each
shipment of product as additional verification measures to organic certification. The
certificates should, to the extent possible, anticipate requirements under an equivalence
determination.

. Implementation of pesticide residue testing in each country for organic products to

identify violations and take appropriate enforcement actions.

. Reporting of results of pesticide residue testing to each other’s regulatory authorities and

the use of such results to target surveillance and training activities.

Actions to foster collaboration on enforcement and compliance:

a.

Implementation of a system for tracking of complaints!/significant findings/non-
compliances/actions taken,

. Monitoring of trends in non-compliances and complaints that each country is seeing with

a focus on regions and specific products.

. Determination of further training priorities for producers/certifiers.
. Documentation of existing and international best practices for certifier safety.

. Organization of an “equivalence arrangement workshop” for U.S. and Mexican

certification bodies to listen to their views and determine the need for:

i. Additional resources/training;
ii. Defined policies; and/or
iii. Additional oversight.

11SO 17011:2004(E) 3.9. Terms and Definitions, complaint: expression of dissatisfaction, other than
appeal, by any person or organization, fo an accreditation body, relating to the activities of that
accreditation body or of an accredited CAB, where a response is expected.


SAGARPA |

SECRETARIA DE AGRICULTURA,
GANADERIA, DESARROLLO RURAL,
ESCA Y ALIMENTACION:

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@F’senasica USDA fers

|NOCUIDAD YCALIDAD AGROALIMESTARLA Service

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AN ORGANIC COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE
BETWEEN THE SECRETARIAT OF AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, RURAL
DEVELOPMENT, FISHERIES, AND FOOD, NATIONAL SERVICE FOR
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH, FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY OF MEXICO
AND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE

The Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food
(SAGARPA), through the National Service for Animal and Plant Health, Food Safety and
Quality (SENASICA) of Mexico and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),
through the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) (“the Participants’),

CONSIDERING our interest in working together through an Organic
Compliance Committee to take concrete steps to strengthen monitoring and enforcement controls
on products labeled as “organic” and to increase the confidence of our stakeholders and
consumers as we work toward a future organic equivalence arrangement;

BEARING IN MIND our previous signed intention in October 2015 to work
toward an equivalence arrangement that would recognize organic production systems in México
and the United States for the benefit of producers and consumers while strengthening bilateral
technical exchanges and organic trade flows;

Plan to establish an Organic Compliance Committee (hereinafter “the Committee)
under the following Terms of Reference:

1. The Committee is to be responsible for the following functions and for achieving the
objectives based on the Program of Work attached to these Terms of Reference:

a) The Committee is to meet regularly to monitor the Program of Work and prepare
progress reports for Participants.

b) Meeting venues are to alternate between Participants. Meetings may take place via video-
conference, in which case the Participant that was scheduled to host the meeting will
serve as host of the video-conference. The host of the meeting is to act as Chair and
should prepare draft joint minutes to be reviewed and accepted by the Participants after
each meeting.

c) Participants are to decide by mutual consent on the dates, venues, procedures,
participants and agendas for meetings of the Committee. These arrangements should be
determined in advance prior to each meeting.



SECRETARIA DE AGRICUITURA, ‘Vee ta

SAGARPA | ; © ee SENASICA USDA Agvcutura

NOCULDAD Y CALIDAD AGROAUIMENTARA Service

GANADERIA, DESARROLLO RURAL,
PESCA Y ALIMENTACION

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a)

Participants are to invite other relevant trade and regulatory officials to attend the
Committee meetings as appropriate in view of the agenda and issues to be discussed.

Information is to be exchanged in the Committee to ensure that Participants are aware of
changes to legislation and regulation, and other aspects of the organic control system
within each country.

The Committee may establish technical task forces on an ad-hoc basis as decided by the
Participants. Members of a technical task force are intended to be technical experts from
the relevant regulatory agencies or services of each country. The Committee is to provide
direction for each task force and establish timeframes for completion of work. A written
report from each technical task force may be requested, which is to be submitted to the
Committee for its consideration.

In most cases, Participants are to identify issues for discussion by the Committee by
providing information in writing to each other and by placing the issue on the agenda of
the next meeting. Participants may identify an issue regarding the organics-related
activities of the other Participant. The Participant identifying the issue is to present the
information describing the issue in advance of each meeting.

In cases where a specific issue requires attention before a meeting can be scheduled,
Participants may address the issue by, among other options,:

i. Encouraging technical discussions between counterpart agencies/services;
ii. Holding a teleconference or videoconference of counterpart agencies/services;
and,
iii. Considering the issue at the next meeting of the Committee.

If each Participant’s organic regulatory system is recognized as equivalent by the other
Participant, the Participants are to reevaluate the role of the Committee and determine
whether it should continue, be modified or cease to exist.

Members of the Committee should include the people with the following roles, their
designee(s), and other invitees as decided by the Participants:

From AMS
i. Deputy Administrator of the National Organic Program
ii. Director, Accreditation and International Activities Division, National Organic
Program
iii. Director, Compliance and Enforcement Division, National Organic Program


SENASICA USDA Aarloultral

SECRETARIA DE AGRICULTURA, INOCUIDADY CALIDAD AGRONLINENTARA Service
GANADERIA, DESARROLLO RURAL,
PESCA Y ALIMENTACIOM

b) From SENASICA
i. General Director for Food Safety
ii. Deputy Director responsible for Control of Organic Production
iii. Department Head responsible for International Regulations on Organic Products

For the oversight of the Committee, the Participants plan to assign the Deputy Director for
Control of Organic Production, SENASICA, and the Deputy Administrator, National

Organic Program.

These Terms of Reference are not intended by the Participants to be an international
agreement governed by international law.

The Participant’s participation in the activities under these Terms of Reference is
subject to the availability of funds, resources, and personnel.

FROM THE UNITED STATES

FROM THE SECRETARIAT OF
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK,
RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FISHERIES
AND FOOD OF THE UNITED
MEXICAN STATES

Enrique Sanchez Cruz Elanor Starmer
Director in Chief of the Nate al Service Administrator of the Agricultural
imatand Plant Health, Food Marketing Service

Safety and Quality :

Date: OLY. SG COG Date: lofrafic