1️⃣ USDA Organic Certification – Farm Land & Operation
Before applying
1) Transition period: Land must have had no prohibited substances (e.g., synthetic pesticides, prohibited fertilizers) applied for at least 3 years prior to harvest. This is the easy part...LOL
2) Adopt organic practices (soil fertility management, pest/weed control, crop rotations, etc.) that meet USDA organic standards. This was a huge learning curve, that we are still in.
3) Maintain detailed records of all practices, inputs used, field history, crop rotation, planting and harvest dates, yield, etc. Our farm is broken up into 45 different fields we need to keep track of. Talk about paperwork fatigue...LOL
Certification steps
1) Select a USDA-accredited certifier such as MCIA.
2) Submit application and fees to the certifier.
3) Create and submit an Organic System Plan (OSP) that explains how your practices meet the organic standards.
4) On-site inspection by a certifier-appointed inspector.
5) Certifier reviews inspection and documentation.
6) Receive organic certificate if compliant.
We are excited to say that every single acre we own is USDA Certified!!!
After certification steps to keep our land USDA Certified.
1) Annual update and review of OSP.
2) Annual on-site inspection.
3) Maintain records proving ongoing compliance.
4) Pay annual inspection fees.
2️⃣ USDA Organic Certification – Feed Mill (Handling or Processing)
Feed mills that handle, mix, package, or process organic products fall under the organic handling/processing category and require certification.
Requirements before certification
1) Facility and processes must be designed to prevent commingling of organic and non-organic products.
2) Must protect organic ingredients and finished products from contact with prohibited substances. Example, even though the grain we raise is USDA inspected, if you use any transitional (crop in the 3 year transition to organic), we need to clean out every auger, the grinder and any other piece equipment that the transitional grain ran through, for it to be considered USDA organic.
3) All ingredients and inputs must be approved for organic use and documented.
Certification steps (via MCIA)
1) Contact MCIA to start the certification process.
2) Develop an Organic System Plan (OSP) for the feed mill — detailing your processes, sanitation, ingredient sourcing, packaging plans, record-keeping procedures, and how you prevent commingling. Show the lot number of the certified organic product to show which bins all of the ingredients came from.
3) Submit OSP, application forms, and fees to MCIA.
4) MCIA schedules an on-site inspection of your mill.
5) MCIA reviews the inspection & documentation for compliance w/USDA NOP standards
6) Upon successful review and fee payment, MCIA issues your organic handler certification — authorizing use of the USDA organic seal on qualified products.
Ongoing requirements
1) Annual renewal and inspection.
2) Maintain detailed records of ingredients, orders, batch records, sanitation, and organic handling procedures.
Key Organic Standards to Know
1) Must comply with USDA organic production and handling standards (NOP).
2) At least 95% organic content required to label a product “organic.”
3) Handling operations must ensure segregation and protection from prohibited substances.