Market Farming

["RDH" <rdhopkins AT americanpasturage.com>]

I keep seeing the posts regarding the record keeping and yesterday called
the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Organic Program Coordinator, to
discuss the details.  Based on information from MDA, it appears that many
growers are making the record keeping more than it is.

In short, the requirements for trace-ability via farmer's markets or farm
gate sales would be to record the sales of a given day as one lot.  Each
type of produce would need to be identified, but detailed sales records are
not required.

Example for farmer's market:

Date:  31 July 2002
Lot:   One pickup load of sweet corn
Sales:  XYZ farmer's market

Date:  31 July 2002
Lot:  Six bushels green beans
Sales:  XYZ farmer's market

Etc.  If more than one market is utilized on a given day, then the two
markets would need to be identified separately.  It is not a requirement to
identify in detail each customer and every unit of sales.

It is unlikely that Missouri will have rules so different from other states
if they are all based on the NOP and the certifiers have been trained by the
same trainers.

Regards,


Rick Hopkins
President
American Pasturage, Inc.
P.O. Box 190
Marionville, MO  65705
(417) 258-2394
http://www.americanpasturage.com/
For other information concerning grass fed beef see http://www.eatwild.com
and http://www.westonaprice.org
For the American Homestead Foods Certification Program go to
http://www.homesteadfoods.com
Also check out the new Graziers Forum at: http://bbs.americanpasturage.com

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