PACS Offers Attestation of Equivalence
In addition to organic certification, PACS offers Attestation of Equivalence for hops growers exporting to the European Union. The Attestation of Equivalence ensures there is complete quality assurance verification from the country of origin (Canada) and is required for all hops importers into the European Union.
An Attestation of Equivalence verifies alpha acid levels and documents the lot codes for the hops order. The EU sets parameters for water content, percentage of leaves, stems and waste matter, percentage of cone cover leaves, and alpha acid content. The European Commission included PACS as an agency able to provide the Attestation of Equivalence, and on May 6, 2022, PACS was added to the Annex 1's list of authorized agencies who provide the AOE. PACS has provided Attestation of Equivalence since that date.
In providing the Attestation of Equivalence, PACS is documenting that the Certificate of Analysis (COA) has been verified. This service is outside of the scope of organic certification, and is for all Canadian hops growers.
Background
A 2016 Government of B.C. news release stated that the number of craft breweries in B.C. in 2010 was fifty-four and by 2016 was 125 and growing. This presents a significant opportunity for hops farmers since the demand for hops is increasing. On the other hand, Samuel Glasgow (former hops grower and current consultant and horticulturist) reports that requirements for exporting hops are tricky. Hops need to be verified by a third-party, contracted lab, and then exporters need an Attestation of Equivalence to verify each shipment before export. PACS is the only certifying body offering the Attestation of Equivalence service at this time.
What You Need
If you are in need of an Attestation of Equivalence document, please contact us for an application. You will need to:
- Complete and return the PACS Attestation of Equivalence Request Form.
- Provide the Certificate of Analysis for each hop variety included in the shipment.
- Pay the service fees outlined in the Attestation of Equivalence request form.
PACS will email the Attestation of Equivalence if you only need an electronic copy or will mail physical copies by regular mail (in Canada only) if requested. Postage will be billed to the operator. PACS does take expedite requests with certain restrictions and for an expedite charge as outlined on the Attestation of Equivalence Request Form.