Internet Resource
for North Carolina Farmers
Organic Certification
The federal organic standards were developed to guarantee consumers that certified farms, processors and handlers have followed an organic system plan and are utilizing organic methods when growing or processing food. Standards ensure that no prohibited substances were applied to the land within the past three years, crop rotation and soil building plans were written and followed, detailed records were kept, fields or processes were inspected annually, and certification is kept current.
In order to streamline and standardize organic labeling in the United States, the federal government formulated national standards in 2002. Under the federal USDA National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines, farms selling more than $5000 worth of goods must be certified by an accredited certifying agent if they wish to label their products "organic". While farms selling less than $5000 worth of goods are not required to be certified, they are still subject to inspection if they include the word "organic" on their labels. Producers and processors must be recertified every year.
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Definitions of Organic
What is Organic Food? NCDA&CS
http://www.ncagr.com/markets/commodit/horticul/ncorganics/
The National Organic
Program, homepage
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/indexIE.htm
Organic Certification Process
Organic Certification Guide, Growing Small
Farms
http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/orgcertguide.html
Organic Certification Recordkeeping, Growing Small Farms http://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/growingsmallfarms/orgrecords.html
Financing Certification
Financial and Marketing
Perspective on Organic Certification, ATTRA
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organcert.html
North Carolina Farmer Certification Assistance
Program
http://www.ncagr.com/markets/commodit/horticul/ncorganics/cert_letter.pdf
Cost Share Form for the Farmer Certification
Assistance Program
http://www.ncagr.com/markets/commodit/horticul/ncorganics/cert_form.pdf
Accredited Organic Certifying Agents & Inspectors
USDA Accredited Certifying
Agents, National
Organic Program
http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/CertifyingAgents/Accredited.html#NC
North Carolina Crop
Improvement Association,
homepage
http://www.nccia.ncsu.edu/
Independents Organic Inspectors Association
http://www.ioia.net/
Exemption from Certification
USDA Frequently Asked Questions Concerning
Organic Certification
http://www.optco.com/USDA_FAQ.html
The $5000 Exemption
from Certification, ATTRA
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organcert.html#exemption
Exemption from Organic
Certification, MDA
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/esap/organic/exemptions.htm