Top Ten Certification Mistakes Organic Producers Make

10 Mistakes Organic Farmers Make

Tara Scott

Farmer Training Programs

Special Thanks to:•Allison Grant, Southfield Organics

•Angela Patterson, Atlantic Certified Organic

•Roxanne Beavers, P. Ag•Shannon Jones, Broadfork Farm

Angel

Canadian Organic Products Regulation

June 30th, 2009June 30th, 2009June 30th, 2009

• To prevent misleading labeling

• Reduce confusion around the term organic

• Access international markets

• Develop the domestic organic market

Organic Agricultural Products:

•Produced according to the Canadian Organic

Standards (COS)

•Inspected and certified by an organic

Certification Body (CB)

7 General Principles of Organic AgricultureOrganic Agriculture

1) Protect the environment

2) Maintain long-term soil fertility

3) Maintain biological diversity

4) Recycle materials

7 General Principles of Organic AgricultureOrganic Agriculture

5) Care that promotes the health and meets the behavioral needs of livestock

6) Maintain organic integrity

7) Rely on renewable resources in locally

organized agricultural systems

Canadian Organic Community

www.organicfederation.ca

1. Not reading the Canadian Organic Standards and PSL

2. Incomplete organic plans

• Your farm - farm map and field history

• Your inputs

• Your activities

• Your outputs - your organic products

3. Poor Record-Keeping

4. Improper Seed Searches

5. Use of Prohibited Substances

•Always check with your certifier before

introducing any new input to your farm

6. Underestimating investments in your soilinvestments in your soil

7. Manure

• Not fully caged - 360 degrees• Livestock is not permanently in the dark• Documentation

90 Day Manure Rule

NORTH GATE ORGANICS

120 Day Manure Rule

8. Failure to control commingling and

contamination

9. Not being prepared for inspection

• Relevant sections of the Standard

• Organic Plan - any changes or updates?

• CB correspondence/requests

• Gather your paper work

10.

Photo Credits:

• Bantry Bay Farm - St. Andrew’s, NB

•Broadfork Farm - River Hebert, NS

• Jemseg River Farm, Jemseg, NB

•Red Soil Organics - Brookside, PE