New OMRI Mexico Review Program

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(July 1, 2020) OMRI is pleased to announce the launch of its Mexico Review Program.

OMRI (the Organic Materials Review institute) is now accepting applications for input review to the Mexico Organic Products Law (Ley de Productos Orgánicos, or LPO), providing consistent and reliable input review for producers certified under that standard. Since 1997, OMRI has reviewed input materials to the U.S. National Organic Program standards, and in 2013 the organization began accepting applications for review to the Canada Organic Regime standards. The Mexico Review Program will offer suppliers and applicants the same expert, independent review service they know and trust, but with the added option to have their products reviewed for potential certifier approval for use in growing and processing in the Mexican organic market.

Juan Ortega, Organic Certification Manager at PAMFA A.C., had this to say about the venture: “The certification of organic products in Mexico will be strengthened with the experience that OMRI has gained in input evaluation. The very history of OMRI’s development can be used to define policies for the evaluation of organic inputs in Mexico. OMRI is very well positioned in the Mexican market and organic operators, as well as input suppliers, already recognize and trust it.”

In addition, Luis Lopez, CCOF’s representative in Mexico, notes that the “lack of information regarding what materials are allowed for organic production is a challenge. There are still misconceptions about the inputs that can be used in organics.” Through this new OMRI Mexico Review Program, OMRI aims to provide more clarity to the sector. The organization has already begun the process of clarifying allowed inputs with the creation of the OMRI Mexico Standards Manual©, now available for free download. 

In recent years, OMRI has enjoyed steadily increasing interest in its U.S. and Canada review programs from Mexican suppliers, and has responded by increasing its bilingual staff, launching a fully bilingual website, and offering more and more resources and services in Spanish to meet the demand. “As we thought about expanding our review program to an additional ruling body, Mexico was a natural choice,” says OMRI Executive Director/CEO Peggy Miars. “Organic stakeholders in Mexico have been asking OMRI to provide a Mexico Review Program, and this is an exciting time for the evolving organic sector in Mexico. We’re proud to be a part of it, and look forward to the collaborative opportunities it will bring.”

Organic certifiers are encouraged to consult OMRI’s resources to support their material review process. Certifiers make the final decision when it comes to allowance of a specific input on a specific organic operation. The OMRI Mexico program will conduct product reviews using OMRI’s accredited quality system, which now includes input review under the LPO standards. OMRI’s ISO 17065 certificate of conformance can be viewed here. 

OMRI is now accepting applications for input products for LPO review. Interested parties can visit omri.org/get-listed for more information.

Contact: Meghan Murphy
Marketing Manager
(541) 343-7600 ext. 162