By Chris Joyner
ajc, October 9, 2011
Acting on a tip, state environmental inspectors in February paid a surprise visit to a dairy farm in Eatonton. They found the owner pumping gallon upon...
USDA organic certification agencies are responsible for ensuring that organic products meet or exceed the organic standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture's National Organic Program.
he WSDA Organic Food Program protects consumers and supports the organic food industry by ensuring the integrity of organic food products through establishing organic standards and certifying organic producers, processors, and handlers.
The program provides technical information about organic food production and assists in the development of markets for the organic food industry.
The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont is a non-profit association of farmers, gardeners and consumers working to promote an economically viable and ecologically sound Vermont food system for the benefit of current and future generations.
The TDA's Organic Certification Program certifies crops produced under an organic farming system. That is, a system of ecological soil management that relies on building humus levels through crop rotations, recycling organic wastes, and applying balanced mineral amendments. When necessary, this system uses mechanical, botanical, or biological controls that have minimum adverse effects on health and the environment. In addition, organic crops are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and synthetic herbicides. Upon demonstrating compliance with National Organic Standards 7 CFR Part 205, participants are entitled to use a marketing logo identifying their products as certified organic. TDA inspects and certifies producers, processors, handlers (warehouses, distributors, brokers) and retailers of organic products.
Organic Production is a system that is managed by both state and federal standards for the response to site specific conditions in the growing or processing of foods, which conditions are managed by integrated cultural, biological and mechanical practices. It is the intent of organically grown or produced products to foster the cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve bio-diversity.
This program is intended to serve producers, processors and consumers of agricultural products. The goal is to manage a process that will maintain the integrity of food products produced without the use of restricted chemical imputs.
The Plant Industry Section of the Division of Agriculture and Resource Marketing administers the Rhode Island Organic Certification Program, by which qualified crops producers and handlers in the state are certified as growing and handling/processing produce organically. Beginning in 1990, crops were certified by standards developed by the Rhode Island Organic Certification Committee. Since the USDA AMS National Organic Program (NOP) went into effect in October 2002, the DEM has been an accredited state certification agency certifying according to the NOP Standards. The NOP requires that any raw or processed farm product sold as organic in the US must be produced according to these Standards.
Quality Certification Services offers USDA ISO Guide 65 and USDA National Organic Program accredited certification options. QCS currently offers the following certification options: Certified Organic, Certified Transitional, Certified Hormone and Antibiotic Free.rnrnQCS certifies Farming, Wildcrafring, Livestock, Processing, Packing, and Handling operations. While our home office is in Florida, we certify entities nationally and internationally. QCS meets the needs of operations regardless of type, location, or size.
