A Quick Overview of What It Means and What It Takes to be Organic Presented by George Kuepper Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Any producer or handler who markets more than $5000 of organic product annually MUST be certified Producers selling less than $5000 of organic products annually are exempt from certification, though they may still opt to be certified. Exempt producers may sell their organic produce as “organic” but have several restrictions.

Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Marketing Marketing

Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Marketing Marketing

There are Two Fundamental Strategies for Crop Nutrition: Feeding the Plant, Directly, with Soluble Nutrients—the Conventional ApproachFeeding the Plant, Directly, with Soluble Nutrients—the Conventional Approach Feeding the Soil Food Web, and Allowing it To Feed The Plant—the Organic ApproachFeeding the Soil Food Web, and Allowing it To Feed The Plant—the Organic Approach

Diverse crop rotations including sod crops, cover crops, green manures, and inoculated legumes Diverse crop rotations including sod crops, cover crops, green manures, and inoculated legumes Crop residue management Crop residue management Application of livestock manures & composts Application of livestock manures & composts Liming and use of other natural rock minerals Liming and use of other natural rock minerals Mulching with organic materials Mulching with organic materials

Timed planting Timed planting Pest barriers and traps Pest barriers and traps Tillage, cultivation, and hand-weeding Tillage, cultivation, and hand-weeding Release of beneficial insects Release of beneficial insects Sanitation protocols Sanitation protocols Grazing and mowing Grazing and mowing

Botanicals (pyrethrum, garlic) Botanicals (pyrethrum, garlic) Minerals (coppers, sulfur, DE, baking soda) Minerals (coppers, sulfur, DE, baking soda) Biologicals (B. bassiana, B. thuringiensis) Biologicals (B. bassiana, B. thuringiensis) Soaps (insecticidal soap, herbicidal soap) Soaps (insecticidal soap, herbicidal soap) Oils (vegetable, narrow-range distilled dormant) Oils (vegetable, narrow-range distilled dormant)

Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Marketing Marketing

3-Year Transition for Conventionally-Farmed Land

ALLOWED UNLESS If it is natural (nonsynthetic), assume that it is ALLOWED in organic crop production UNLESS it is specifically prohibited and placed on the National List under §

PROHIBITED UNLESS All synthetic products (fertilizers, amendments, pesticides, growth regulators, etc.) are PROHIBITED, UNLESS specifically allowed and placed on the National List under §

Fertilizers & Soil Amendments: See p. 6

Pesticides: See p. 9

Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Marketing Marketing

Livestock Manure Must either be composted*, applied according to the 90- and 120- day rules, or used on non-food crops.Livestock Manure Must either be composted*, applied according to the 90- and 120- day rules, or used on non-food crops. Biosolids (Sewage Sludge) is a prohibited substance.Biosolids (Sewage Sludge) is a prohibited substance. Regulations regarding composting are specific for C/N ratios,Regulations regarding composting are specific for C/N ratios, temperatures, turning, etc. temperatures, turning, etc.

Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Marketing Marketing

Organic seed and planting stock must be used If not commercially available, untreated seed or planting stock may be used; no GMOs Conventional seed treatments are prohibited, unless required by Federal or State regulations Organic transplants must be used

Crop Hybrids result from crossing plants using traditional breeding methods that mimic natural processes. Organic hybrids of many crops are found in seed catalogs. Genetically Modified Organisms result from recombinant DNA and related technologies that change organisms by means not possible under natural conditions, e.g. inserting fish or animal genes into plants.

The 3-Source Custom AOSCA Organic Seed Finder* * Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies

Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Marketing Marketing

Graphic from Four Winds Farm, River Falls, Wisconsin

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Organic Practices Organic Practices Prohibited Substances Prohibited Substances Fertilizers Fertilizers Pesticides Pesticides Land Requirement Land Requirement Food Safety Food Safety Seeds & Planting Stock Seeds & Planting Stock Integrity Integrity Contamination Contamination Commingling Commingling Marketing Marketing

Do not sell anything as organic if it’s not… Do not say it’s certified if it’s not… You may display the USDA Organic Seal only if you’re certified.

Small Scale Organics is a guide for exempt organic farms (<$5000 annual sales) and those in the marketplace that interact with these small growers, such as farmers market managers and produce buyers. This 34-page guide includes details for assessing compliance with the National Organic Standard, templates for abbreviated Organic System Plans (OSPs), and simplified record forms. Copies can be downloaded free-of- charge at: ons/small-scale-organics.pdf Print copies can be requested from: The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture P.O. Box 588 Poteau, OK Tel:

What Is Organic Certification?/How Do I Get Certified Organic? =STELDEV  National Organic Program 1400 Independence Ave., SW Room 2646-South, STOP 0268 Washington, DC Tel: (202) Fax: (202) 

Guidebook for Organic Certification How to Choose An Organic Certification Agency & the Organic Certification Process content/uploads/Publications/Fact_Sheets/07CertificationAgencyprocess.pdf MOSES PO Box 339 Spring Valley, WI

Available on the ATTRA Web site* Guide for Organic Crop Producers * Note that many ATTRA publications are no longer free-of-charge. There is a small charge for some PDF downloads and for print publications.

Available on the ATTRA Web site* Organic Farm Certification and the NOP The Organic Certification Process Organic Materials Compliance Documentation Forms Preparing for an Organic Inspection * Note that many ATTRA publications are no longer free-of-charge. There is a small charge for some PDF downloads and for print publications.  

Thanks for your attention! George Kuepper The Kerr Center P.O. Box 588 Poteau, OK