How to verify organic supplier certification
To verify an organic supplier, confirm 3 things: the certificate is current, the certifier is accredited for the market you sell into, and the products you are buying are named in the certificate’s scope. A certificate that fails any one of those does not protect your own certification.
In New Zealand and Australia, the checks take about 10 minutes per supplier using the certifier registers, and less using ANZOC’s directory, which shows the certifier and expiry date on each profile. For US and EU suppliers the same checks run through the USDA Organic Integrity Database and EU TRACES.
Last updated 7 October 2026.
Why it matters
Under the Organic Products and Production Act 2023, a New Zealand business that describes a product as organic must be able to show it is certified under the Act’s regime. Using an uncertified or lapsed supplier for an organic ingredient puts your own certification and your labelling at risk. The Act creates offences for false or misleading organic claims, with separate maximum fines for individuals and companies; check the current amounts on legislation.govt.nz rather than relying on a figure quoted second-hand. (Source: legislation.govt.nz, Organic Products and Production Act 2023, offences and penalties.)
Certifiers audit supplier verification. Expect to be asked to show, for each organic input, the supplier’s certificate and evidence it was checked. Keeping the check on file is the difference between a clean audit and a corrective action.
The 6-step check
Collect the supplier’s details
Legal entity name (not just the brand), certifier, certificate or licence number, and the exact products you intend to buy.
Find the supplier in a register
For New Zealand and Australian suppliers, search the certifier’s own register or ANZOC. For US suppliers, the USDA Organic Integrity Database. For EU suppliers, TRACES NT. Search by legal name; trading names often differ.
Confirm the certificate is current
Check the expiry date and that the status is not suspended or withdrawn. Certificates in NZ and AU are typically issued for 12 months. If the expiry has passed, ask the supplier for the renewal certificate before you buy.
Check the product is in scope
A certificate lists specific products or product groups. A dairy farm certified for milk is not certified for beef. A processor certified for "processing" may hold that scope for some product lines and not others. If the product you need is not listed, it is not certified organic from that supplier.
Check the certifier is accredited for your market
For product sold in NZ, the certifier must be MPI-recognised under the 2023 Act. For export, the certifier must be approved under MPI's Official Organic Assurance Programme (NZ) or by DAFF (Australia) for the destination market. A supplier with only domestic certification cannot supply organic product for your EU or US export line.
Keep the evidence
Save a copy of the certificate, a screenshot or export of the register entry with the date, and a note of who checked it. Repeat at least annually and whenever a certificate expires.
Registers by region
| Region | Register | Who runs it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | Each certifier’s own register of certified operators | The certifiers | Operators certified by each body; scope and expiry |
| New Zealand and Australia | ANZOC directory | Greenback Ltd | Certified operators in New Zealand and Australia, with products, markets and expiry on each profile |
| Australia | ACO register; DAFF list of approved certifying bodies | ACO; Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | ACO operators; which bodies may certify for export |
| United States | Organic Integrity Database (organic.ams.usda.gov) | USDA | All NOP-certified operations worldwide |
| European Union | TRACES NT | European Commission | EU operators and certificates of inspection for imports |
Frequently asked questions
What must a valid organic certificate show?
The certifier’s name and accreditation, the operator’s legal name and address, a certificate or licence number, issue and expiry dates, the scope (products and activities certified), and the standard it is certified against, for example the NZ Organic Standard under the 2023 Act, ACOS, USDA NOP or EU 2018/848.
How often should I re-verify a supplier?
At least once a year and at every certificate expiry. Certificates can also be suspended mid-term, so re-check before any large or new-product order.
Does New Zealand organic certification allow sale as organic in Australia?
Certification by an MPI-recognised NZ certifier is accepted for organic claims in New Zealand. For Australia, check whether the certifier’s export programme covers the Australian market on the certificate; equivalence is handled market by market, not automatically across the Tasman.
Does the National Organic Standard change how I verify suppliers?
The standard sets the production rules; the verification steps are the same. What changes is step 5: after the transition period ends in March 2028, only certification under the 2023 Act regime will support an organic claim in New Zealand, so check that the certifier is MPI-recognised, not just accredited internationally.
What if a supplier’s certificate has expired but they say renewal is in progress?
Ask for written confirmation from the certifier. Until you have it, product bought in that window cannot be treated as certified organic for your own records.
Can ANZOC verify a supplier for me?
ANZOC shows the certifier, expiry date and certified products for each listed operator, drawn from the certifier registers, and shows the date the record was last checked. For a purchase that matters, confirm against the certifier’s own register as well.