Quality Assurance International

Quality Assurance International

Infobox Company
company_name = Quality Assurance International
company_
company_type = Private
genre = organic certification
foundation = 1989
founder =
location_city = San Diego, California
location_country = USA
location =
origins =
key_people =
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industry =
products =
services =
revenue =
operating_income =
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homepage = [http://www.qai-inc.com www.qai-inc.com]
dissolved =
footnotes =

Quality Assurance International (QAI) is a U.S.-based international organic certification company that is authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as “a USDA-accredited certifying agent that operates globally to certify organic operations to National Organic Program standards.” [Cite web
url=http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB/.cmd/ad/.ar/sa.retrievecontent/.c/6_2_1UH/.ce/7_2_5JM/.p/5_2_4TQ/.d/1/_th/J_2_9D/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?PC_7_2_5JM_contentid=2005/12/0529.xml&PC_7_2_5JM_navtype=RT&PC_7_2_5JM_parentnav=LATEST_RELEASES&PC_
title=News release No. 0529.05 USDA APPOINTS ORGANIC BOARD MEMBERS
accessdate=2008-07-16
publisher=USDA
date=2005-12-06] It is a for-profit corporation, established in 1989, and headquartered in San Diego, California. It is one of the world's largest certifiers, operating in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and JapanFact|date=January 2008. It is owned by NSF International.

QAI offers organic certification under the National Organic Program for Producers, Processors, Private Labelers, Distributors, Retailers, Restaurants, Wild Crop Harvesters, Greenhouse, Mushrooms, and Facilities. QAI also offers 'Fiber Certification' under the American Organic StandardsFact|date=January 2008.

On March 23, 2006, QAI announced that it surpassed a company milestone by certifying 259,608 productsFact|date=January 2008.

In July 2008 it was reported that QAI had mistakenly certified as organic powdered ginger produced in China, which tests showed was contaminated with the banned pesticide Aldicarb. QAI blamed the oversight on the fact that it had not actually certified or tested the ginger itself, but instead relied on two Chinese certifiers to certify the ginger. [http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0708/538424.html] Under Chinese law, foreigners may not inspect Chinese farms. [http://www.alternet.org/environment/94146/is_your_organic_food_really_organic/]

Examples of certified products

* [http://www.stonyfield.com/Organic/ Stonyfield Farm Products]
* [http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/OrganicYogurt.cfm#javascript:void(0) Organic Yogurt] (UPC 052159040017)

References

ee also

*Organic certification
*Organic Food
*Organic Farming
*Soil Association (United Kingdom organic certification)

External links

* [http://www.qai-inc.com/0_0_0_0.php Homepage of Quality Assurance International]
* [http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/ USDA National Organic Program]
* [http://www.organicfooddatabase.net The Organic Food Database] - Informational database of organic farms, restaurants and organic food products.
* [http://www.ota.com/ The Organic Trade Association (OTA)]


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