OrganicFarmer_AprMayFinal_e

By ANN BAIER | Sustainable Agriculture Specialist, National Center for Appropriate Technology
Farmers and ranchers make decisions
every day about production and processing,
marketing approaches and
certification programs in the context of
real-life people, places and circumstances.
Your farm or ranch
business depends
on agricultural
markets,
consumer
preference
trends,
trade
policies,
regional
infrastructure,
and
quality of
life for your family
and community.
Organic certification to the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
organic regulations is a practical option
that provides a firm foundation on
which to build healthier production
systems and thriving commerce.
Agricultural systems are diverse with
respect to crop and livestock production
systems, handling or processing options,
marketing strategies, import-export
policies and other applicable regulations.
Organic cropping systems include diverse
combinations of annual vegetables,
small fruits and berries, perennial fruit
and nut crops, mushrooms and sprouts,
herbs and flowers, fiber crops, grains and
legumes, feed and forage, pasture and
range. Livestock operations produce a
range of food and fiber, eggs and meat,
milk and honey from many different
species and breeds of insects, poultry,
swine, and ruminants. Whether your
organic crop and livestock enterprises
are stand-alone production enterprises,
or diversified and integrated businesses
with processing, storage or distribution,
the elements of your agricultural
business are all addressed by the USDA
organic regulations.
This article is intended to help you
find and read the organic regulations,
consider factors your decisions about
becoming certified organic, and become
familiar with te the certification process.
These considerations and the references
and resources provided will help you
determine whether organic certification
is a good choice for your operation, and
if this is the appropriate time to begin.
What are the Requirements?
“205.2 Organic production. A
production system that is managed in
accordance with the Act and regulations
in this part to respond to site-specific
conditions by integrating cultural,
biological, and mechanical practices
that foster cycling of resources, promote
ecological balance, and conserve
biodiversity.”
USDA organic regulations describe the
practices and recordkeeping necessary
to represent a farm, ranch or handling/
processing facility and its products as
certified organic. These regulations,
found in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), Chapter 7, Part 205,
detail the production standards for crop
and/or livestock production, as well as
handling (processing) of agricultural
products. They also specify procedures
for establishment, accreditation, and
operation of certification agencies.
To make it easier to find and read the
sections of the regulations that apply
directly to producers and handlers (and
navigate around the administrative,
certifier accreditation and procedural
requirements) the National Center for
Appropriate Technology’s (NCAT’s)
ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture
program has compiled a set of
excerpts of the key regulations relevant
specifically to crop production,
livestock production and handling
(processing) activities. Requirements
that are common to all types of certified
organic operations include development
of a written organic production and
handling system plan (Organic System
Plan, or OSP), and recordkeeping
requirements. Each of these
publications contains verbatim excerpts
of the regulations for certification of
crops, livestock, or handling. Although
summary paraphrases (including this
article) may offer a useful introduction
and overview, and guidance documents
provide interpretation and explanation
of the regulations, there is no substitute
for referring directly to the regulatory
text. See References for links.
Feasibility of Compliance with
USDA Regulations
Does your farm or ranch have the
capacity to comply with the applicable
USDA organic regulations? Can you
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Organic Farmer April/May 2019