The Basics of Organic Farming Certification

Organic Farming Certification 
Organic farming certification is an essential procedure in the selling of organic products. Back when organic farming was still new, there organic farming certification is still not needed since organic products can just be purchased from a local grower. However, as the organic market became more popular, the supply chain became more complex hence some products were fraudulently marketed as organic when they are actually not. Organic farming certification is made to assure to consumers the validity of the organic products that are being sold.

Organic farming certification is usually done by an organization that serves as a third-party agent. The task of that certification body is to assess handlers, processors, and producers if they conform to the set of operating guidelines for organic standards. Once the organic certification body has validated that the organic farm followed the organic standards, they are then allowed to utilize the organization’s logo, product statement, and certificate when selling their products, in order to assure customers that they are really organic. And as the logo of the certification body is utilized by the farmer, the certification body also assures the organic validity of these products.

Farmers can obtain organic farming certification from two forms of certification agencies: government-run agriculture department certifiers and private-run certifiers. Farmers who plan on being certified by private-run certifiers must make certain that the agency they are intending to apply in must be qualified by their national government, and in the case of United States, by the National Organic Program. The producer then submits an application to the certification agency which includes a detailed information about his or her farm. After the application has been approved, the producer’s farm will then be subjected to an on-site inspection. An inspector will visit the farm and evaluate it if it complies with the organic standards.

It is advisable for producers who want to obtain an organic farming certification to look at the various certification agencies as not all of them are the same. In addition, there is a fee for certification so they have to make sure that the organization is indeed the suitable certified for their products.

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