New requirements for food and agricultural product certification have been clarified!

Notice from the Secretariat of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration on Optimizing the Food and Agricultural Products Certification System

To all relevant certification bodies:

To implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, the Central Economic Work Conference, and the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Further Deepening Rural Reform and Steadily Promoting Comprehensive Rural Revitalization," and in accordance with the deployment of the 2025 National Certification, Accreditation, Inspection and Testing Work Conference, to give full play to the positive role of food and agricultural products certification in improving the quality of food and agricultural products and boosting consumption, the following notice is issued regarding further optimization of the food and agricultural products certification system.

1. Strengthen the management of self-initiated food and agricultural products certification projects

Certification bodies should enhance their capability to develop high-quality certification projects in the field of food and agricultural products, strengthen market demand research and feasibility analysis, and promote certification technology innovation to fully meet the development needs of the food and agricultural products industry and supply chains. They should further strictly control the quality of food and agricultural products certification rules, evaluating the compliance, scientific basis, applicability, and implementation effects of self-developed certification rules. Please conduct self-inspections on the filed certification rules in the food and agricultural products field, and proactively cancel filings that do not meet filing management requirements (such as those with the same or similar names and standards as the nationally unified certification system, or those conflicting with current national or local administrative licensing regulations).

2. Strengthen professional capacity building and create institutional brands

Certification bodies should strengthen professional capacity building, take effective measures to improve certification management levels in the food and agricultural products field, enhance the professional abilities of key personnel, and strengthen learning of relevant laws, regulations, professional knowledge, and new industry technologies to ensure that certification personnel quality matches the development of the food and agricultural products industry. They should enhance their own brand building, actively creating certification systems and institutional brands with strong professional backgrounds, high social recognition, and international influence. Engage in differentiated operations, compete on quality, and avoid homogenization and "involution" competition. Through brand building, increase the visibility and influence of food and agricultural products certification, promote the formation of a market mechanism of "blind selection" and "preferred selection," allowing consumers to buy with confidence and eat with peace of mind, further enhancing consumer satisfaction and boosting consumption confidence.

3. Track international trends and strengthen communication and cooperation

Certification bodies should, in line with the national opening-up strategy, industrial development needs, and their own advantageous fields, pay attention to the latest developments in international standards, regulations, and technical trade measures related to food and agricultural products certification. They should strengthen cooperation with international industry or standards and technical organizations around goals such as facilitating smooth domestic and international dual circulation, addressing urgent industry needs, benefiting enterprises and consumers, and filling gaps in the food and agricultural products certification system. Proactively design, develop, and implement influential international food and agricultural products certification cooperation projects to allow enterprises to truly enjoy the benefits brought by trade facilitation. Certification bodies are encouraged to strengthen communication and cooperation with multinational chain-leading enterprises or purchasers related to the food and agricultural products field to promote acceptance of relevant certification results. They are encouraged to expand international business and help Chinese enterprises "go global." Please promptly report relevant experiences, practices, and typical cases that have achieved practical results.

4. Strengthen risk management and implement main responsibilities

Certification bodies are the primary responsible parties for certification results. They should strengthen risk management tailored to the characteristics of the food and agricultural products field and fully identify potential risks in certification activities. They should enhance effective follow-up investigations of certification results, establish and improve mechanisms for tracking, collecting, handling, and accountability of food and agricultural product quality information and public opinion information related to certified organizations. They should improve management systems related to the implementation of main responsibilities, assigning responsibilities to specific departments and personnel.

All relevant certification bodies should take necessary measures to strengthen certification activity management and capacity building, continuously optimize the supply of the food and agricultural products certification system, and support agricultural prosperity and rural revitalization with professional and high-quality certification services.

Secretariat of the National Certification and Accreditation Administration

February 27, 2025