ORGANIC PRODUCTIONORGANIC PRODUCTION

Elzinga & Hoeksema GreenhouseElzinga & Hoeksema GreenhouseKalamazoo, MichiganKalamazoo, Michigan

Presenter:Presenter:

Mark Elzinga- OwnerMark Elzinga- Owner

2007

The Journey begins…. A Decision is

made.

Organics and the Impact upon our Health and Environment

HealthHealth Protects against pesticide Protects against pesticide

exposure and consumption.exposure and consumption.

Studies show an Studies show an improvement inimprovement in product product flavor.flavor.

Studies show higher Studies show higher nutritional values in Organic nutritional values in Organic versus non-organic versus non-organic products.products.

“The desire for sustainable agriculture is universal, yet agreement on how to progress towards it remains elusive.” - Organic farming and the sustainability of agricultural systems D. Rigby - 2001

EnvironmentEnvironment

Organic farms use less Organic farms use less energy and produce less energy and produce less waste. waste.

Organic Farms do not Organic Farms do not consume or release consume or release synthetic pesticides into synthetic pesticides into the environment which the environment which can potentially harm soil, can potentially harm soil, water, and local wildlife.water, and local wildlife.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC versus

SUSTAINABILITYCertified OrganicCertified Organic

Filing and adhering to a Plan Filing and adhering to a Plan of Operation which specifies of Operation which specifies only USDA approved only USDA approved methods for crop (and/or methods for crop (and/or livestock) production.livestock) production.

All products labeled All products labeled “Organic” must comply with “Organic” must comply with Federal USDA Standards.Federal USDA Standards.

Organic Food Production is Organic Food Production is Legally Regulated.Legally Regulated.

SustainableSustainable

Operational practices which Operational practices which minimize potential adverse minimize potential adverse effects upon the effects upon the environment.environment.

Voluntary, self-policing Voluntary, self-policing choice to use only earth choice to use only earth friendly production inputs.friendly production inputs.

Addresses environmental Addresses environmental and social concerns while and social concerns while offering innovative and offering innovative and economically viable economically viable opportunities for all opportunities for all participants in the entire participants in the entire food system.food system.

First Step was to obtain First Step was to obtain USDA Organic CertificationUSDA Organic Certification

Number of domestic accredited certifying Number of domestic accredited certifying agents: 55 agents: 55

Elzinga & Hoeksema chose CCOF as their Elzinga & Hoeksema chose CCOF as their certifying agent.certifying agent.

CCOF (CCOF (California Certified Organic FarmersCalifornia Certified Organic Farmers) ) is one of the first organizations to perform is one of the first organizations to perform USDA organic certification in North USDA organic certification in North America and remains the oldest and America and remains the oldest and largest organic certification and trade largest organic certification and trade association in North American with more association in North American with more than 1600 members.than 1600 members.

How an Organization How an Organization become USDA Certified become USDA Certified

OrganicOrganic Organization develops and Organization develops and

submits to a certifying submits to a certifying regulator an “OSP” also regulator an “OSP” also

known as a Organic System known as a Organic System Plan.Plan.

An Organic Production or An Organic Production or System Plan must include:System Plan must include:

(1) A description of practices and (1) A description of practices and procedures to be performed and procedures to be performed and maintained, including the frequency with maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed;which they will be performed;

(2) A list of each substance to be used as a (2) A list of each substance to be used as a production or handling input, indicating its production or handling input, indicating its composition, source, location(s) where it composition, source, location(s) where it will be used, and documentation of will be used, and documentation of commercial availability, as applicable;commercial availability, as applicable;

An Organic Production or An Organic Production or System Plan must include:System Plan must include:

(3) A description of the monitoring (3) A description of the monitoring practices and procedures to be performed practices and procedures to be performed and maintained, including the frequency and maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed, to with which they will be performed, to verify that the plan is effectively verify that the plan is effectively implemented;implemented;

(4) A description of the recordkeeping (4) A description of the recordkeeping system implemented to comply with the system implemented to comply with the requirements established requirements established

An Organic Production or An Organic Production or System Plan must include:System Plan must include:

(5) A description of the management (5) A description of the management practices and physical barriers established practices and physical barriers established to prevent commingling of organic and to prevent commingling of organic and nonorganic products on a split operation nonorganic products on a split operation and to prevent contact of organic and to prevent contact of organic production and handling operations and production and handling operations and products with prohibited substances; andproducts with prohibited substances; and

(6) Additional information deemed (6) Additional information deemed necessary by the certifying agent to necessary by the certifying agent to evaluate compliance with the regulations.evaluate compliance with the regulations.

Production ChallengesProduction Challenges

FertilizationFertilization InsectsInsects DiseaseDisease Finding Commerically Available Finding Commerically Available

Organic Seed & Cuttings.Organic Seed & Cuttings. Growth RegulationGrowth Regulation Seed Lot TrackingSeed Lot Tracking

Proper Fertilization was Proper Fertilization was solved by developing our solved by developing our

ownown “Living Soil” “Living Soil”

Living Soil vs. Living Soil vs. Conventional MediaConventional Media

True organics = “Living Soil”True organics = “Living Soil”

Living soil supplies plant needs which Living soil supplies plant needs which cannot be met with Organic cannot be met with Organic Fertilizers. Organic Fertilizers often Fertilizers. Organic Fertilizers often lack sufficient Nitrogen needed for lack sufficient Nitrogen needed for optimum plant growth.optimum plant growth.

Consumers success with bio-diversityConsumers success with bio-diversity

Challenges of building Challenges of building a living soila living soil

Greenhouse media suppliers did not Greenhouse media suppliers did not have “Living Soil” for commercial have “Living Soil” for commercial operationsoperations

Locating quality and quantity of Locating quality and quantity of components to build the soilcomponents to build the soil

Designing blends to meet the needs of Designing blends to meet the needs of Elzinga & HoeksemaElzinga & Hoeksema

Living Soil ComponentsLiving Soil Components

Coconut CoreCoconut Core PeatPeat

CompostCompost VermiculiteVermiculite Rice HullsRice Hulls

AmendmentsAmendments

Boom Spraying with Worm Tea is also another Boom Spraying with Worm Tea is also another way to control Diseaseway to control Disease

Biological ControlBiological Control

Integrated Pest Management SystemIntegrated Pest Management System PlanningPlanning PreventingPreventing RecordingRecording

Beneficial InsectsBeneficial Insects Banker Plant SystemBanker Plant System Breeder PileBreeder Pile

Introduction and Introduction and EstablishmentEstablishment

Limited Availability of Limited Availability of Organic and Untreated Organic and Untreated

Seed & CuttingsSeed & Cuttings USDA will allow the use of Treated USDA will allow the use of Treated

seed/cuttings only if producer can seed/cuttings only if producer can document all attempts to find document all attempts to find untreated seed have proved futile.untreated seed have proved futile.

The price of Organic seeds or The price of Organic seeds or cuttings cannot be an acceptable cuttings cannot be an acceptable reason for not using them.reason for not using them.

Limited Availability of Limited Availability of Organic and Untreated Organic and Untreated

Seed & CuttingsSeed & Cuttings

EH have only found 2 Suppliers of EH have only found 2 Suppliers of Organic Organic SeedSeed that have sufficient that have sufficient volume for servicing our needs:volume for servicing our needs:

Ball Seed – Chicago, ILBall Seed – Chicago, IL Johnny’s Seed – Winslow, MEJohnny’s Seed – Winslow, ME

Limited Availability of Limited Availability of Organic and Untreated Organic and Untreated

Seed & CuttingsSeed & Cuttings EH have only found 2 Suppliers of EH have only found 2 Suppliers of

Organic Organic CuttingsCuttings that have sufficient that have sufficient volume for servicing our needs:volume for servicing our needs:

Plug Connection – CaliforniaPlug Connection – California Flor Expo – Costa RicaFlor Expo – Costa Rica

Growth Regulation Solved Growth Regulation Solved with Old Fashion Ingenuitywith Old Fashion Ingenuity

A USDA Certified A USDA Certified Organization must posses Organization must posses the ability to track a single the ability to track a single seed or cutting all the way seed or cutting all the way

to the point of plant to the point of plant purchase.purchase.

EH has in excess of 2 million units EH has in excess of 2 million units that must be carefully cataloged and that must be carefully cataloged and documented in the event that a documented in the event that a USDA inspector calls us for a seed lot USDA inspector calls us for a seed lot number on one of our organic items number on one of our organic items in a store.in a store.

A USDA Certified A USDA Certified Organization must posses Organization must posses the ability to track a single the ability to track a single seed or cutting all the way seed or cutting all the way

to the point of plant to the point of plant purchase.purchase.

We do this via a simple system using We do this via a simple system using carefully marked Quick Tags that are carefully marked Quick Tags that are paired with each saleable unit at the time paired with each saleable unit at the time of planting.of planting.

Records are then kept which translates the Records are then kept which translates the Quick Tag’s markings to which seed lot the Quick Tag’s markings to which seed lot the plant came from.plant came from.

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

FRESH FLAVORS

Vegetables & Herbs

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

FRESH FLAVORS

Vegetables & Herbs

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

FRESH FLAVORS

Vegetables & Herbs

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

CLASSIC FLAVORS

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

GRILL MATES

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

BASILS OF THE WORLD

SOME OF OUR ORGANIC SOME OF OUR ORGANIC PRODUCTSPRODUCTS

Fresh Flavor

Organic Potting

Soil

Kids Count