Mexico Updates Permitted Organic Agriculture List

The Mexican government updated the National List of Permitted Substances for Organic Agriculture in order to comply with international regulations and facilitate exports of organic products to the United States, European Union, Canada, and other countries.

The updated regulation was published in the Federal Registry, and its main purpose is to create an equivalent national control system for organic, biological, or ecological production that will allow Mexican organic products to compete in international markets. The changes were made to Annex 1 of the National List of Permitted Substances for Organic Agriculture, which details the substances that are allowed, restricted, or prohibited throughout the production chain.

These substances include materials, products, inputs, methods, and ingredients referred to by generic name and are used for various purposes, such as fertilizers, soil amendments, ecological management of insects, fungi, viruses, bacteria, and weeds, as well as for processing organic products as additives and coadjuvants, animal feed, and sanitization, disinfection, and cleaning in organic operations.

The Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development, in consultation with the National Council of Organic Production (CNPO), coordinated the update process. The changes to the National List include the inclusion of various substances and the modification of the conditions of use for others already on the list. This harmonization with international regulations aims to diversify the number of substances available for use within the certified organic production chain and ensure compliance with the regulations of Mexico's main trading partners, such as Canada, the United States, and the European Union.

The updated regulation is expected to help Mexican organic producers gain a competitive edge in international markets by ensuring their products meet the standards of other countries, and it demonstrates Mexico's commitment to fostering sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.

[USDA GAIN Report]