OPAM Meets EC Accreditation

WINNIPEG - Dec 2/04 - SNS -- The Organic Producers Association of Manitoba (OPAM) has fulfilled all obligations for accreditation by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to the European Standard of the European Communities (EC).

The official recognition will be an important marketing tool for this unique sector of Manitoba's agri-food industry, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk said today.

"I congratulate OPAM for its diligence and perseverance toward becoming one of only two organic certifying agencies in Canada to hold accreditations from the SCC for ISO/IEC Guide 65 for Canada and the European Communities, and by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its National Organic Program," said Wowchuk.

"OPAM has also received conformity recognition by the Conseil des Appellations Agroalimentaires du Québec. Organic agriculture is a growing segment of the agri-food business which has proven to be sustainable over the long term and is a definite asset to Manitoba's list of marketable products."

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