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International
Certification Services Inc. - USA
International Certification Services, Inc. (ICS), a private company was born as Farm Verified Organic, Inc. (FVO) in 1979. ICS was the collaborative effort of a group comprised of a North Dakota grower, an organic trader, and a European authority on organic agriculture and certification. FVO's first certifications were issued in the early 1980's. ICS' FVO programme was the first US-based certification body to become IFOAM Accredited in 1995.
FVO became independently incorporated in 1990, and an independent Board of Directors assumed control of the company's operations. In 1991, FVO closed its Connecticut office, and its international headquarters were established in North Dakota. In early 1994, FVO's Board voted to diversify its stock, and employees became owners in the company. In June 2003, ICS officially opened a new corporate headquarters in Medina, North Dakota.
ICS' Certification Committee, as the certification decision makers for the FVO Programme, has always had the sole authority for certification decisions.
With the establishment of the new company, ICS began to offer new certification services including Sustainable Wild Aquatic Harvest, consultation to certification bodies and USDA process verification consultation. ICS has plans to expand its services into other areas related to sustainability and good management practice in 2006. Currently the staff and Committee members number around 20 full and part time individuals .
ICS' FVO programme services operations in the countries of Brazil, Canada,
China, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay and Tahiti in addition to the United States.
The FVO programme of ICS is IFOAM Accredited for crop production, livestock, wild products and processing. Excluded is their certification of sustainable wild aquatic harvest, USDA NOP and Bio-Suisse label.
In 2006 ICS were also granted accreditation by IOAS against ISO/IEC Guide 65
with scope of the FVO private standards which were assessed as equivalent to
EEC REgulation 2092/91 and against the production standard of the USDA NOP.
Mr Robert Simmons and
Ms Christina Dockter
Senior Executive Partners
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Last updated:
31/01/2008
ICS/FVO
301 5th Ave SE
Medina
ND58467
USA
Tel: +1 701 486 3578
Fax: +1 701 486 3580
Email: info@ics-intl.com
Web: www.ics-intl.com
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