USDA Organic Certification Requirements

Organic certification is a process of certifying the producers of organic food or products they make. Generally, businesses which are in food production can be certified by the USDA.

Here are some things you need to know about the organic certification.

Avoidance of Synthetic Chemical Inputs

One of the requirements of the organic certification is the avoidance of synthetic chemical input usage. These chemicals are considered harmful that is why it is one of the requirements of the certifiers to avoid the usage of the synthetic chemical inputs. Some examples of these synthetic chemicals are fertilizers, pesticides, antibiotics and food additives. In this requirement, avoidance of genetically modified organisms, use of sewage sludge and irradiation is also required not to be used. One must remember that when something is required, it should be complied with so that you will not get into any trouble with the release of the certification.

Use of Farmland

This requirement specifically points out to farmlands which have been free from synthetic chemicals for at least three or more years. It is because, when a farmland is not used with synthetic chemicals for a long number of years, it means that the land is free from harm and that the owners are responsible enough to comply with the first requirement mentioned. The least number of years required in this requirement is three years. If you think that your farmland is already three years free from any synthetic chemicals, it would be much easy for you to comply with this requirement for the organic certification.

Audit Trail

Having a detailed sales records and written production is a requirement. All the sales and production related transactions should be recorded and it should be in detail so that during the certification process, the certifiers will be able to see the track of your business transactions. Through this, they will be able to identify whether the one who seeks for certification is doing a clean and legal job and that he is worthy of the certification that will be given to him. The certifiers are taking care of their reputation that is why they try to be very vigilant but lenient at the same time. If you will just follow this requirement carefully, you might just get that certification faster than expected.

Separation of Organic From Non-Certified Products

There should be a strict separation of the organic products from those products which are not certified. This is essential because the very essence of the certification process is to imply that the products being sought are already checked and certified by the certifiers. If these certified organic products are mixed with those products which are not certified, it would be very difficult to identify which of them are certified and which are not.

 

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