Olmix takes lead in certification
European crop health specialist Olmix Micromix is one of the first companies to obtain certification to market products affected by the new EU regulation 2019/1009 on fertilisers and biostimulants, with immediate effect.
The regulation, which was implemented on 16 July, 2022 requires all biostimulants and micronutrients to be registered. And despite the UK having left the EU, it is still likely to require similar regulation by 2023, says Grant James, marketing manager at Olmix Micromix.
“We’ve got to have some alignment in standards so that we can trade between the EU and UK,” he says. “But ultimately it’s good news for farmers; currently there are a lot of products on the market which aren’t necessarily formulated – or as effective – as described. These new regulations mean that manufacturers will have to state exactly what’s in the products and their efficacy on yield and quality.”
Regulating the biostimulant and micronutrient industry should engender more confidence and trust in the products, which have a genuinely beneficial role to play in crop health and productivity, adds Mr James.
Recognition of the quality of Olmix’s processes strengthens the company’s assets in the export market, as the European standard is considered a reference, globally.
Issued following an audit by the notified body CerTrust, this certification guarantees to customers that the company’s rules and processes comply with the regulation standards.
“Obtaining certification validates our commitment to quality and the methods we have put in place to ensure it,” says Fabien Le Corronc, Olmix’s quality, safety and environment manager.
Faced with various certification options offered by the new regulation, Olmix chose the one framed by CerTrust’s module D1 – the quality assurance system for manufacturing processes – at its two French sites and Langar site in the UK.
“It was a choice dictated by our development strategy,” explains Rozenn Nevot, EMEA regulatory affairs manager for Olmix’s Plant Care business. “Obtaining this certification gives us more flexibility and possibilities because it allows us to market, with CE marking, all the product categories contained in its scope.”
The two industrial sites in France have already received CerTrust certification. This will soon be followed by certification of the Langar plant in the UK.
Editor’s notes
Olmix Micromix, based in Brittany, France and the UK, specialises in marine biotechnology and green chemistry, using algae to improve plant, animal and human health. It has offices in 27 locations worldwide. www.olmix.com
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