There are many considerations surrounding the choice to become certified organic, separate from the decision to use organic management practices. Depending on your farm\u2019s yearly sales revenue, certification may be required to label your products as \u2018organic\u2019. Regardless of your certification status, the word \u201corganic\u201d is tightly defined and regulated by the US Dept of Agriculture, so you may use it to describe your products only if you conform to the practices included in the USDA\u2019s definition. . In this fact sheet you\u2019ll find the general regulation requirements as well as information on becoming organic certified,, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Organic production offers many advantages for small farmers including ecologically friendly production methods, strong consumer demand for organic products, and higher prices. Regardless of whether you use organic practices, if you have farm sales of more than $5,000\/year you cannot legally sell your products as \u201corganic\u201d–or even use the word organic in your marketing\u2013unless your farm has been officially certified as organic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you sell less than $5,000\/year of product and would like to use the word \u201corganic\u201d in your marketing, you must adhere to organic practices even though there is no certification process required. To learn more about this, download the PDF:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Small Scale Organics<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can find the list of all certifying agencies by going to the USDA\u2019s National Organic Program website<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click \u201cList of Certifying Agents.\u201d You can use any agency listed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The two located in New York are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n NOFA<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 New York, LLC<\/strong> Natural Food Certifiers <\/strong> Organic regulations are complex and ever-changing, which is why it is important to work with your certifying agency on everything that you do to assure compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In general, you cannot use synthetic pesticides, antibiotics, or petroleum-based fertilizers. To certify a field as organic it must not have had pesticides or petroleum fertilizers applied for the past three years. To certify animals as organic, there are various transition requirements depending upon the animal species: dairy, beef, pork, poultry, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Great attention is paid to nurturing the soil by the use of composts, cover crops, rock minerals and natural fertilizers. Plant disease and pests are controlled through the use of crop rotations, resistant varieties, cultivation, and biological and botanical pest control. Animal health is maintained with wholesome food, adequate shelter, access to the outdoors, and preventive health plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Documentation of field maps, adjoining fields, complaints, crop inputs used, yields, sales, feeds purchased, medications used, and equipment cleaning logs must be kept to maintain your certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NYS usually offers a program<\/a> to reimburse you for up to 75% of organic certification fees, not exceeding $750. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The National Center for Appropriate Technology<\/strong><\/a> has a really good database of videos and fact sheets to help farmers understand the requirements of organic production and record-keeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The USDA<\/strong><\/a> also offers a collection of helpful resources on organic education and transition assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Organic certification may seem out of reach – both in cost and paperwork requirements – so you may seek other options. Certified Naturally Grown<\/a> (CNG) status is an option whose standards are based on the National Organic Program. CNG provides a label that is helpful for farmers selling direct-to-consumers. For produce or livestock, CNG asks for a minimum contribution of $110. Visit their website for more information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from these certifications, there are many buzzwords farmers may use to describe their growing practices and the quality of their products. Labels that are used without certification may serve only to confuse customers and limit marketability of products..<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>840 Upper Front St.
Binghamton, NY 13905
607-724-9851
E-mail: certifiedorganic@nofany.org
Scope: crop, livestock, handling
Accredited: 4\/29\/02<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong><\/a>119a S Main Street
Spring Valley, NY 10977
888-422-4632
E-mail: nfccertification@gmail.com
Scope: crop, livestock, wild crop, handling
Accredited: 10\/08\/02<\/p>\n\n\n\nGeneral Overview of Regulations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Cost-Share for Organic Certification<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Certified Naturally Grown<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Funding <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n