Organic CertificationOrganic Certification

In TennesseeIn Tennessee

National Organic ProgramNational Organic Program

NOP established NOP established nationalnational standards for standards for organically labeled products.organically labeled products.

USDA approves organizations or persons to USDA approves organizations or persons to become "certifying agents"become "certifying agents"

Certifying agents certify that production and Certifying agents certify that production and handling practices meet the national handling practices meet the national standards.standards.

Producers or handlers who sell $5000 of Producers or handlers who sell $5000 of product per year labeled or represented as product per year labeled or represented as "organic" must be certified."organic" must be certified.

www.ams.usda.gov/nop/www.ams.usda.gov/nop/

The Basis for National The Basis for National StandardsStandards

1990 - Organic Foods Production Act - part of 1990 - Organic Foods Production Act - part of the 1990 Farm Bill.the 1990 Farm Bill.

1993 - USDA appoints National Organic 1993 - USDA appoints National Organic Standards Board (NOSB).Standards Board (NOSB).

1996 - NOSB completes recommendations.1996 - NOSB completes recommendations. 1997 - USDA publishes first proposal1997 - USDA publishes first proposal 275,000 comments let USDA know it needs 275,000 comments let USDA know it needs

more workmore work March, 2000 – USDA’s 2nd proposal March, 2000 – USDA’s 2nd proposal 40,000 more comments40,000 more comments December, 2000 – USDA’s Final RuleDecember, 2000 – USDA’s Final Rule

Definition of Organic Definition of Organic Production-from USDA final Production-from USDA final

rulerule “…“…A system that responds to site-A system that responds to site-

specific conditions by integrating specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.”balance, and conserve biodiversity.”

I used to eat a lot I used to eat a lot of natural food,of natural food,

until I learned until I learned that most that most people diepeople die of natural of natural causes.causes.

Certification ProcedureCertification Procedure

1.1. Producer purchases "Certification Producer purchases "Certification Application Packet" from accredited Application Packet" from accredited certifying agent of their choice.certifying agent of their choice.

Certification Application Packet Certification Application Packet IncludesIncludes

Certification HandbookCertification Handbook

Organic Materials Review Institute Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) Manuals of materials allowed, (OMRI) Manuals of materials allowed, restricted and prohibited for use in restricted and prohibited for use in organic productionorganic production

Application(s) for CertificationApplication(s) for Certification

2. Producer pays applicable 2. Producer pays applicable fees and submits completed fees and submits completed application which includes:application which includes:

1.1. History of substances applied to the History of substances applied to the land for the previous three years,land for the previous three years,

2.2. Organic products being grown or Organic products being grown or processed,processed,

3.3. Organic plan, which includes Organic plan, which includes practices and substances used in practices and substances used in production (Must keep post-production (Must keep post-certification records on production, certification records on production, harvesting, and handling for five harvesting, and handling for five years.)years.)

3.3. Certifying agent reviews application Certifying agent reviews application for certification eligibility.for certification eligibility.

4.4. Inspector, assigned by certifying Inspector, assigned by certifying agent, conducts on-site inspection agent, conducts on-site inspection of the applicant's operation.of the applicant's operation.

5.5. Certifying agent reviews the Certifying agent reviews the information submitted by the information submitted by the applicant and the inspector's applicant and the inspector's report.  If review and inspection report.  If review and inspection show compliance with the show compliance with the requirements, the agent will issue a requirements, the agent will issue a certificate.certificate.

USDA NOP sealUSDA NOP seal

Three Labeling CategoriesThree Labeling Categories ““100% Organic” (may use USDA and/or certifier seal)100% Organic” (may use USDA and/or certifier seal) ““Organic” (may use USDA and/or certifier seal)Organic” (may use USDA and/or certifier seal)

At least 95% organic ingredientsAt least 95% organic ingredients Remaining 5% must be on the “National List”.Remaining 5% must be on the “National List”. Must use organic ingredients if commercially Must use organic ingredients if commercially

available.available. ““Made with Organic (Ingredients)” (may use certifier Made with Organic (Ingredients)” (may use certifier

seal)seal) From 95% to 70% of the ingredients must be From 95% to 70% of the ingredients must be

organic.organic. No GMOs, sewage sludge, or irradiation allowed for No GMOs, sewage sludge, or irradiation allowed for

any of these categories. any of these categories.

Notes about CertificationNotes about Certification

Producers who sell less than $5,000 per year Producers who sell less than $5,000 per year are not required to be certifiedare not required to be certified

Certified operations must submit updated Certified operations must submit updated organic plan, pay fees, and be re-inspected organic plan, pay fees, and be re-inspected each year.each year.

USDA or the certifying agent may conduct USDA or the certifying agent may conduct unannounced inspections at any time to unannounced inspections at any time to enforce the regulations.enforce the regulations.

Certifying agents or USDA will conduct Certifying agents or USDA will conduct residue tests of organic products if there is residue tests of organic products if there is reason to believe that products have been reason to believe that products have been contaminated with prohibited substances.contaminated with prohibited substances.

ViolationsViolations

If your organic certification agency If your organic certification agency finds just cause, certification can and finds just cause, certification can and will be suspended or revoked.will be suspended or revoked.

Any person who knowingly violates Any person who knowingly violates the 1990 Organic Foods Production the 1990 Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) can be fined up to Act (OFPA) can be fined up to $10,000 per violation. (representing $10,000 per violation. (representing product as organic without product as organic without certification is an example violation)certification is an example violation)

USDA’s RoleUSDA’s Role

Accreditation of State and Private Accreditation of State and Private Certifiers (domestic or foreign).Certifiers (domestic or foreign).

Enforcement and Compliance. Enforcement and Compliance. Equivalency negotiations with Equivalency negotiations with

international organic regulatory international organic regulatory organizations, allowing organic organizations, allowing organic products from the US to be products from the US to be recognized worldwide.recognized worldwide.

Web SalesWeb Sales

Give a person a Give a person a fish and you fish and you feed them for afeed them for a day; teach that day; teach that person to use person to use the Internet and the Internet and they won't they won't bother you for bother you for weeks.weeks.

Organic Certification Cost-Organic Certification Cost-Share Program - TennesseeShare Program - Tennessee

The state, using funds from the The state, using funds from the USDA, will reimburse each eligible USDA, will reimburse each eligible producer or handler for up to 75% of producer or handler for up to 75% of organic certification costs, not to organic certification costs, not to exceed $500. exceed $500.

For Further InformationFor Further Information

USDA NOPUSDA NOP www.ams.usda.gov/NOPwww.ams.usda.gov/NOP Contains list of certifying agents, FAQs, the Contains list of certifying agents, FAQs, the

USDA NOP standards, cost-share information.USDA NOP standards, cost-share information. OMRI – Organic Materials Review InstituteOMRI – Organic Materials Review Institute

Lists of products allowed, restricted, and Lists of products allowed, restricted, and prohibited for use in organic crop and livestock prohibited for use in organic crop and livestock production as well as food processingproduction as well as food processing

www.omri.orgwww.omri.org

For Further InformationFor Further Information

QCS – Quality Certification ServicesQCS – Quality Certification Services Offers affordable organic certification Offers affordable organic certification

throughout the South, and has a sample throughout the South, and has a sample application for certification on their websiteapplication for certification on their website

www.qcsinfo.orgwww.qcsinfo.org ATTRAATTRA

Arkansas extension service for sustainable Arkansas extension service for sustainable agriculture – offer hundreds of free publications agriculture – offer hundreds of free publications related to sustainable and organic productionrelated to sustainable and organic production

www.attra.orgwww.attra.org

Thank YouThank You

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