USDA Organic Certification Business Management and Education Institute (BMEI)

Organic Certification Organic certification verifies that a company’s farm or handling facility complies with the USDA organic regulations and allows companies to sell, label, and represent their products as organic using the “organic” label or USDA organic seal.

Overview Methods Types Cost Process Application Organic System Plans (OSPs) Labeling

Methods International Organic Standard (U.S. Canada, EU, Japan) Certifying Agent/ACA (all other countries) Types Organic Producer Certificate (crops, livestock) Organic Handler Certificate (handling, processing) Cost: varies Certification Background

Process Initial Certification Application and fees submission Application review On-site inspection of operation Application and inspector report review Organic certificate issued or application denied Recertification Annual update submitted On-site inspection Application and inspector report review

Application General Information Owner information Operation information U.S. agent information Organization status Enterprises/products to be certified Organic System Plans (OSPs) Organic Farm Plan Organic Livestock Plan Organic Handling Plan

Organic Farm Plan Crop information Field history and activity logs Input application records and purchase/source records Seed, planting stock, and transplant records Monitoring practices description, record-keeping system Audit trail documents Soil and pest management activities Contamination and co-mingling avoidance measures Certification documentation of any organic product purchased for resale Labels and labeling Split operation procedures (if applicable)

Organic Livestock Plan Livestock information and care description Origin of organic livestock Feed, supplements, and additives description Feed storage, processing, and rations description and information Manure management Physical alteration descriptions Animal identification Marketing/labeling description Purchasing/breeding/replacement/sourcing/conversion plans Ruminant livestock information (if applicable)

Organic Handling Plan Product identification and composition Facility map(s) and production flow chart(s) Off-site storage / contracted facilities information (if applicable). Documentation of sources of ingredients and processing aids Pest management, sanitation, water integrity, and organic integrity documentation. Labels and labeling.

USDA ORGANIC LABELING “100 Percent Organic” “Organic” “Made with Organic” “Special Organic Ingredients”

Summary Methods Types Cost Process Application Organic System Plans (OSPs) Labeling