Organic Certification

[agongos]

Does anyone know where I can find all the hoops to jump through and the cost to get organic certification?

[quiltbea]

Different states have different rules for certification.

I know here in Maine no pesticides/herbicides can be used on any adjoining lands near an organic garden for at least 3 years before it can be certified. Lots of questions and hurdles and inspections before any certification is assigned.

All seeds to grow the crops must be certified organic as well.

[cynthia_h]

And in California, most organic growers would rather be CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) certified than anything USDA, since most organically-oriented foodies and growers here consider the USDA rules "corporate organic."

The treatment of animals is a BIG difference between CCOF and USDA, but there are others as well.

See whether your state certification is thought better of by farmers' market participants than the USDA certification is, and also find out whether one is legally required vs. the other.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[starwood]

Here is one certifier's process. Oregon Tilth certifies farms all over the country.

https://tilth.org/certification/get-certified/get-certified

And I you can use seeds that aren't organic if there are no certified organic seeds available.

[lifegrower]

Keep in mind that, according to the USDA (though not necessarily your state laws), if you gross less than $5,000 on your farm or market gardens, you can call yourself "organic" without being certified, but of course cannot call your produce "certified organic."

Certification is a nasty and expensive process, so I just tell people we use organic methods, and that's that.

[DoubleDogFarm]

so I just tell people we use organic methods, and that's that.

Yes, we three.

Eric

[starwood]

Legally, you can't even do that.

[cynthia_h]

Legally, you can't even do that.

Again, this depends on the laws of the jurisdiction in which you live and/or grow the food.

Cynthia

[DoubleDogFarm]

Email I received today.

Dear SJC Farmers and Food Processors:

I have just heard about a bill that will interest some of you, regarding "Cottage Food Operations." The bill would allow small food-processing operations (with sales less than $5000 annually) to sell non-hazardous food products made in a home kitchen directly to the consumer without a food processor’s license. I've attached the Senate Bill Report, which gives a summary of the legislation. Otherwise, please follow the links below for information.

This is not a Organic topic, but value added. Processing currently can only be done in a certified commercial kitchen.

Looks like peoples fears are loosening up and maybe government too.

Eric

[Heron's Nest Farm]

There are grants out there that will pay part of your certification process.

You can tell folks you use organic methods, however, stores will not take your produce. There are too many people providing certified produce.

[GardenRN]

muahahahaha, fears loosening? I'm surprised I haven't seen any talk of that S 510 "food control" bill. Do a search on you tube and watch the Glenn Beck videos or news videos on it. Talk about scary! Actually I just stumbled upon it the other day and most of the videos are 2 months old. I can't believe I missed it until now.

All this talk literally made my stomach churn and feel scared to be living in the times I do.