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ORGANIC: Certification, Production and Marketing Resources

by Dan Anderson — last modified March 07, 2007 05:10 PM

Updated 3/07

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Basic Sources

The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990
The legislation that authorized the establishment of the NOP, the NOSB and the Standards for organic production, processing and trade. http://agriculture.senate.gov/Legislation/Compilations/AgMisc/OGFP90.pdf

USDA National Organic Program (NOP)
Program establishes national standards for the production and handling of organically produced products, including a National List of substances approved for and prohibited from use in organic production and handling. http://www.ams.usda.gov/NOP/indexNet.htm

National Organic Standards Board (NOSB)
The board's main mission is to assist the Secretary in developing standards for substances to be used in organic production. The NOSB also advises the Secretary on other aspects of implementing the national organic program. http://www.ams.usda.gov/nosb/index.htm

Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI)
National nonprofit organization that determines which input products are allowed for use in organic production and processing. OMRI Listed—or approved—products may be used on operations that are certified organic under the USDA National Organic Program. http://www.omri.org/

Organic Trade Association (OTA)
Trade Association (OTA) is a membership-based business association that focuses on the organic business community in North America. OTA's mission is to promote and protect the growth of organic trade to benefit the environment, farmers, the public and the economy. http://www.ota.com/

Organic Certification

Procedures of Organic Certification

ATTRA’s Overview of Organic Crop Production
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/organcert.pdf

ATTRA’s National Organic Program Compliance Checklist
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/compliance.pdf

ATTRA’s Guide to Creating an Organic Production and Handling System Plan
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/organic_handlers.pdf

Organic Trade Association
http://www.ota.com/index.html

Examples of Organic Standards

Global Organic Alliance, Inc.
http://www.goa-online.org/standards.html

Indiana Certified Organic
http://members.iquest.net/~cvof/ico/icoisoman.pdf

Organic Crop Improvement Association International
http://www.ocia.org/Chapter/WebApplication1/GetCertified.aspx

Oregon Tilth, Inc.
http://www.tilth.org/certification/certPacket.html

USDA National Organic Program
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/NOP/standards.html

Certification Organizations Operating In Illinois

Certified Organic, Inc.
500 First St.
Keosauqua, IA 52565
Phone: (866) 581-6428
E-mail: certifiedorg@netins.net
Web: http://www.certifiedorginc.org/

Global Organic Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 530
Bellefontaine, OH
Phone: (937) 593-1232
Fax: (937) 593-9507
E-mail: kananen@logan.net
Web: http://www.goa-online.org/

Indiana Certified Organic
8364 South SR39
Clayton, IN 46118
Phone: (317) 539-4317
Fax: (317) 539-4319
E-mail: cvof@iquest.net
Web: http://members.iquest.net/~cvof/ico/

International Certification Services, Inc.
301 5th Ave. SE
Medina, ND 58467
Phone: (701) 486-3578
Fax: (701) 486-3580
E-mail: info@ics-intl.com
Web: http://ics-intl.com/

Midwest Organic Services Association
P.O. Box 344
Viroqua, WI 54665
Phone: (608) 637-2526
Fax: (608) 637-7032
E-mail: mosa@frontiernet.net
Web: http://mosaorganic.org/

Organic Crop Improvement Association International
6400 Cornhusker, Suite 125
Lincoln, NE 68507
Phone: (402) 477-2323
Fax: (402) 477-4325
E-mail: info@ocia.org
Web: http://www.ocia.org/

Oregon Tilth, Inc.
470 Lancaster Dr. NE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 378-0690
Fax: (503) 378-0809
E-mail: organic@tilth.org
Web: http://www.tilth.org/index.html

A Primer on Organic Practices

National Organic Program’s Organic Production and Handling Standards Fact Sheet
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/FactSheets/ProdHandE.html

ATTRA’s Overview of Organic Agriculture
HTML: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/organiccrop.html
PDF: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/organiccrop.pdf

Economic Research Service Briefing Room on Organic Farming and Marketing
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Organic/

FAQs about Organic Farming from the Organic Farming Research Foundation
http://ofrf.org/resources/organicfaqs.html

Crop Production

ATTRA’s Organic and Sustainable Practices Workbook for Cropping Systems
PDF: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/cropsworkbook.pdf

ATTRA’s Organic Field Crop Publications
http://attra.ncat.org/publication.html#field

Organic Materials Review Institute
http://www.omri.org/