The United States has a recognition agreement with Israel, first established in 2006. Under this recognition agreement, the USDA authorizes a foreign government to accredit certifying agents in that country to the USDA organic standards. These foreign certifying agents are then allowed to certify organic operations in that country to the USDA organic standards. Products certified under the recognition agreement may then be exported to the United States.
Scope. This recognition agreement covers products exported to the United States. The agreement covers USDA organic agricultural products produced in Israel and certified by an Israeli government-accredited certifying agent.
Allowed product categories: Crops, Wild Crops, and Processed Products.
Terms of the Recognition Agreement. All operations must be certified according to the USDA organic regulations; this includes all operations in the supply chain of any certified organic products.
Trade Documentation. U.S. imports of Israel organic products under the recognition agreement must be associated with an electronic NOP Import Certificate. NOP Import Certificates are generated by an Israeli government-accredited certifying agent in USDA's GLOBAL Organic Integrity Database.
Labeling. Products produced under the recognition agreement must meet all USDA organic labeling requirements. USDA Organic Labeling | USDA Organic Seal
Accredited Certifying Agents. Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development maintains an updated list of all inspection and certification bodies. Those that are accredited to the USDA organic regulations will have “Export to USA” in the Field of Certification column. Israel’s Plant Protection and Inspection Service (PPIS) maintains a list of operations certified by accredited certifying agents in their Organic Produce Permits Database (in Hebrew only). Operations that export products from Israel to the U.S. under the recognition are also listed in the USDA’s GLOBAL Organic Integrity Database.
Secal Israel Inspection and Certification
P.O. Box 5027 Kiryat Bialik
Israel
Contact: Ilanit Poliker
Phone: +972-4-8758400
Fax: +972-8746517
E-mail: Israel@controlunion.com
Website: www.secal.co.il
Institute of Quality and Control (IQC) Ltd.
6 Ravnitzky St., Shoham House, I.Z. Segula
49277 Petach-Tikva
Israel
Contact: Rafi Gamson
Phone: +972-3-9313555
Fax: +972-3-9044406
E-mail: info@iqc.co.il
Website: http://www.iqc.co.il
Oversight. The NOP assesses PPIS’ systems on a regular basis to ensure that the terms of the recognition agreement are being met.
Contact Information
Plant Protection and Inspection Services
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Contact: Ms. Mirit Amrani, Head of Standardization Department
Phone: 972-3-9681526
Email: mirita@moag.gov.il
Website: https://www.gov.il/he/departments/ministry_of_agriculture_and_rural_development/govil-landing-page