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How Can I Get Organic Certification?



The organic certification process depends partly on your situation.  You might have heard that there is a three-year transition period to go from non-certified to certified organic.  That is usually true, but the time can sometimes be shortened if you have the records to prove that no prohibited substances have been used in or near your production area.

Record-keeping is crucial for organic certification.  You have to follow the National Organic Program rules -- but you also need to document that you are doing so every step of the way.  You will need to choose a certifying agency as your certifier.  The United States Department of Agriculture delegates the operation of the National Organic Program to certifying agencies, and has an accrediting process to identify which certifying agencies it accepts.  When you work with one of those agencies, you pay them to send an inspector to your operation, to audit your records and see what your procedures are, and to verify that you are following organic standards.  Your inspector will be your primary source of information on program rules and will be the person who will interpret any vague portions of the rules for you.  The inspector's word is law, although there is an appeals process if you have differences of opinion.

A stepwise approach to getting certified:


  1. Read up on organic certification, National Organic Program rules, and sample forms for recordkeeping.
  2. Contact some certifiers for information on their program -- their requirements, how inspections are conducted, whether they are familiar with products like yours, and costs.
  3. Choose a certifier and begin working with them, developing your recordkeeping system and going through the transition period.
  4. Apply to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for reimbursement funds for costs of organic certification; and to register your operation in the MDA's list of certified organic farmers in Minnesota.

Now, the sources to help you carry out these steps:


  1. Read up.

    • The National Organic Program (NOP) rules in their entirety are posted on the NOP website.These are not exactly light and easy reading, but it is helpful to know the exact wording for the type of crop that you have.
    • MOSES, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, has a series of fact sheets about the organic certification process.  They also have some sample forms.
    • ATTRA, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas.  This organization is a great source of information about all kinds of sustainable and organic agriculture topics.  Find links to publications about organic certification and transition here.

  2. Contact certifiers.

    • The Minnesota Department of Agriculture maintains a list of USDA-Accredited certifiers that operate in Minnesota.  It includes information about which certifiers deal with various types of activities:  crops, livestock, wild harvest, and processing.
    • The New Farm, a website run by The Rodale Institute, has an online tool that allows you to compare the services of organic certifiers. 

  3. Transition Period.

    4. The MOSES and ATTRA resources mentioned above have fact sheets and publications about the transition process, and sample forms to help you set up your recordkeeping system.  Your certifying agency is also a resource for you during this time.  They should be able to answer your questions and give you guidance on the kinds of records they want to see.


  4. Apply for reimbursement for costs.

    5. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture administers a program to reimburse organic farmers annually for a portion of their costs of certification.  This is intended to help level the playing field for organic farmers, who have certification costs that conventional farmers do not have.  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture also maintains a directory of all certified organic farmers in the state.  To sign up for either of these, contact:

Meg Moynihan, Agriculture Diversification Specialist
Meg.Moynihan@state.mn.us
651-201-6616
 
Meg is also a good resource person for any other questions you may have about organic agriculture.

Good luck with your certification process!

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