U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is responsible for administering the National Organic Program (NOP). The NOP enforces the regulatory framework that governs organically produced agricultural products.
For more information on organic certification requirements and preparing for certification, here are some resources and helpful tips:
Familiarize yourself with regulatory requirements
- Review the applicable organic certification standards.
- Businesses that sell less than $5,000 per year in organic agricultural products, retail operations, and restaurants are exempt from certification.
- Using standards developed by Organic Trade Association, the National Certified Transitional Program now provides oversight to Accredited Organic Certifying Agents offering transitional certification to producers.
Find an organic certifier
Certifiers operating in Hawai‘i
Organic Certifiers
805-684 6494
organiccertifiers.com
International Certification Services
701-486-3578
ics-intl.com
California Certified Organic Farmers
831-423-2263
ccof.org/
Organic certification resources
- Once certified organic, producers and handlers are eligible to receive reimbursement for up to 75% of certification costs each year, up to a maximum of $750 per certification scope. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) Organic Certification Cost-Share Program application form is available at USDA’s eForms site by selecting “Browse forms” and entering “OCCSP” in the “title or keywords” field on the search page. Submit the completed application to your local FSA office.
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help organic producers develop a conservation plan that meets their goals, and can often help with financial assistance to implement elements of the plan.
Organic certification webinars