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  • From: New Branch Farm <newbranch AT ntelos.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] "organic": actual USDA regulations
  • Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:03:04 -0400

On Jul 24, 2007, at 4:01 PM, Sharon and Steve wrote:
....... To be certified is to be no better than the mega growers 
like Earthbound, Horizon or "Mission Organics, a supplier to Natural 
Selection Foods"( the most likely supplier of the problem sipnach) which I 
think I can assure you that the organic founders never had in mind.
I think the organic founders had in mind that the consumer should know their 
grower, visit his farm, see his work, understand his pholisophy, and buy his 
product; to think that having the government list the hoops to be jumped 
through to gain the use of a magic word thereby imporving the diet and 
health of the nation is utter bullshud.


Hello-
I wanted to share the perspective of a small farm that is certified organic. Our farm is 6 acres with about 1 acre currently growing vegetables, flowers, and herbs.  The majority of the produce I sell directly to customers at area Farmers' Markets.  I have many regular customers and openly share how I farm. The majority of certified organic farms I am familiar with are all small farms (15 acres or less) and all are selling locally, directly to customers via farmers markets or CSA’s.  They are a far cry from the large organic farms on the west coast that wholesale to stores across the country with no connection to the folks who buy their food.

 

Like many I was frustrated when organic certification became a federal program under the USDA:  the national organic program (NOP).  I would have preferred the various certifiers to have worked together and created a program on their own without the involvement of the government.   However, I continue to get certified.  On our farm website, there is a whole page devoted to organic certification and I go into more detail about all the reasons I choose to get certified.  Here is the link if you want to see more:  

 

It is important to remember that while the program is now federal (the standards are written into national law and the NOP oversees certifiers), the bulk of the certification work is done by one of the NOP accredited certifiers and that farmers can choose which certifier to work with.  Currently there are over 90 accredited certifiers with the NOP and these certifiers include "for profit" companies, "nonprofits", and state agencies.  Some only certify in one state but several certify farms throughout the country.  Some are relatively new to certification while others were some of the first to certify farms in the 1970's.  Just like with farms, there are rules and a process to become an accredited certifier.  Here is the list of current certifiers from the NOP website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/CertifyingAgents/Accredited.html

 

While all certify to the same NOP standards and are accredited by the NOP, certifiers vary in their philosophy, experience, and fees. I chose a certifier who is a nonprofit (Stellar Certification Services) and has a history and understanding of organics that pre-dates the NOP.  I found some of the “nonprofit” certifiers had lower fees than the “for profit” certifiers.  All the paper work you submit annually is kept with the certifier (not the USDA) and it is the certifier who sends out the inspector and determines if you are certified based on the NOP standards. Many of the earlier groups who were promoting the organic movement and certifying farms long before the NOP are still accredited certifying agents today (like the NOFAs, MOFGA, OEFFA, CCOF, etc).   

I think the decision of whether to get certified organic is a personal decision each individual farm must make on their own.  However, as was mentioned in several earlier posts, I would also agree that if a farm claims to use organic practices they should at least be respectful enough to understand what organic means by reading the NOP organic standards.  Like others, I find it frustrating when folks claim they use organic practices or are "beyond organic" yet when they describe their farming practices it becomes clear they have never read the NOP standards, much less followed them.  Thanks for letting me share my perspective.

Respectfully-
Stephanie Meyers
NEW BRANCH FARM
Charlottesville, VA




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