Agricultural Commerce, Business Development and Marketing
Certificate of Origin and Free Sale
A Certificate of Origin and Free Sale (COFS) simply communicates that the product is freely sold in Florida and is of Florida/U.S. origin. This document is requested by foreign governments -- not by the USDA or the State of Florida.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) issues COFS to Florida agricultural and/or agribusiness exporters who can provide proof that they are a Florida incorporated company or LLC. Florida food companies must also provide a copy of an FDACS Division of Food Safety inspection.
Once this proof is provided, the exporter must supply the following information for both the foreign buyer and the Florida company:
-- Company name
-- Street address (Post Office box is not acceptable)
-- City and country
-- Name of contact person in that company
The following information should also be provided about the Florida company: a four- to five-sentence description of the company, including what it sells, what type of business it is (distributor, manufacturer, exporter, or a combination thereof), how long in it has been in business, and any other relevant information.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs About Certificate of Origin and Free Sale
Contact Us About Certificate of Origin and Free Sale
Division of Marketing and Development
Bureau of Development and Information
The Mayo Building
407 South Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0800
Elizabeth Gablehouse
(850) 617-7337
(850) 617-7331 Fax
Elizabeth.Gablehouse@FreshFromFlorida.com
Tom Perny
(850) 617-7338
(850) 617-7331 Fax
Thomas.Perny@FreshFromFlorida.com
