WASHINGTON (AP) The United States and Japan have agreed to make it easier to import each other's organic products.
The Agriculture Department is planning to announce Thursday that organic products certified in Japan or in the United States may be sold as organic in either country. The agreement will allow producers to sell their products in both countries without going through the lengthy process of getting certified twice.
Japan imports a wide variety of organics from the United States, including soybeans, specialty crops like tree nuts, and processed products like frozen meals. The main Japanese imports to the United States are organic green tea, sake and mushrooms.
In agreeing to the deal, Japan dropped its objections to two substances allowed in U.S. organic foods that are not allowed in Japanese organic foods.
