Certified Organic

As its means of self-policing, the organic industry eventually came to rely on third party certification. Under this system, a state-run or private agency (the third party) evaluates farmers and processors to see whether they measure up to a set of pre-determined organic standards. Those who do are then “certified.” Once certified, the grower or processor can use the agency’s label or a certificate to let the buyer know that they are truly farming or processing according to agreed-upon organic guidelines.

In essence, certification is largely about integrity—assuring that the buyer is getting what he or she is paying for. Certified organic production, then, means production by approved organic methods with additional pains taken to eliminate contamination with prohibited materials and commingling with conventional products.

There is a common misconception that certified organic means “pesticide residue-free.” Consumers have a right to expect little or no pesticide residue on certified organic crops because none are used in their production. However, ours is a dirty world in which pesticides and their break-down products are ubiquitous. This is only to be expected in a national farm system where over 99% of all applied farm chemicals miss the target organism (15).

The principles, practices, and tools discussed in the remainder of this publication reflect the guidelines recognized by organic certifiers throughout the U.S., though minor details may vary among agency standards and the new federal rule. It is important, therefore, that producers understand their agency standards well and keep in close touch with a representative.

Note that these principles and practices also provide a foundation for other sustainable approaches to crop production, perennial or annual.