The following agreement outlines the terms of the American Vegetarian Association’s AVA Certification Program. Please review and understand the Vegetarian, Vegan, Plant-Based, or Animal-Free Certification pages before continuing.

The agreement is entered between the American Vegetarian Association (referred to as AVA in this agreement) and the Product Owner, Brand Owner and/or Product Manufacturer (referred to as Product Owner in this agreement).

Product Owner enters an agreement with the AVA and accepts the following terms of the AVA Certification Program:

• Product Owner is responsible for the product(s), its formula and its ingredients.  
• Product Owner has reviewed the AVA Certification Standards and confirms that the product(s) meet the desired AVA Certification Standard.
• Product Owner confirms that the product(s) and its ingredients are accurate and representative of what will be sold to consumers.  
• Product Owner is willing to provide additional documentation and/or confirmation on any questionable ingredients as called out by AVA.
• Product Owner will notify AVA of any formula or ingredient changes.
• Product Owner confirms that they have not conducted or commissioned animal testing
on the product or its ingredients.
• An AVA representative will confirm the cost of the AVA Certification contract. 
• AVA Certification is good for one year.  Product Owner will receive invoice with the option to renew AVA Certification pending no formula or ingredient changes.
• Should an AVA Certified product not meet the AVA Certification Standard, AVA is only responsible for the certification contract cost.
• AVA will treat all non-public product information as confidential. This includes ingredients, formula, and supplier information.

Logo Usage

• AVA Logo and AVA Certification Logo usage will be granted to Product Owner upon Product Certification approval.
• AVA logos may be printed in full color or in all black or all white. AVA will approve custom logo colors on case by case basis. 
• AVA logos may not be altered, re-colored or be presented with special effects.  AVA Certification Logo must appear .25” or larger on product packaging.

• The AVA Certification must be renewed yearly for continued use of AVA Certification
Logo. Continued AVA Logo usage without renewal payment will be considered unauthorized trademark use.

Non-Compliant Products

• An AVA Certified product is deemed non-compliant when ingredient, processing and/or label changes are made that deviate from AVA’s approved standard and result in a product that no longer meets AVA Certification standards and/or AVA Logo Usage standards. 
• The Product Owner is responsible in full for removal and disposition of any non-compliant products that deviate from AVA’s approved standard.