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Guarding against contamination
NOP Standards define compost strictly to guard against contamination of food crops with animal wastes that can carry dangerous bacteria such as the infamous E. coli 0157H7. NOP Standards define all manures, including those that have been stockpiled and/or mixed with plant materials, as "raw" unless they can be shown to have been composted according to NOP Standards.
A few words of warning: There are serious concerns about the consistency of ingredients, levels of foreign matter and possibility of toxins.
To minimize potential problems, try to keep your number of feedstock suppliers to a minimum. Be aware of state and local waste-handling regulations that may affect what materials you can receive and how and where you store them. Read more >> When your compost resources come from somewhere else
90/120-day rule
If you're growing crops for human consumption, the NOP stipulates that no manures may be applied within:
• 120 days prior to harvest for crops whose edible portion has direct contact with the soil surface (such as lettuce, carrots, or potatoes), or
• 90 days prior to harvest for crops whose edible portion does not have direct contact with the soil surface (such as sweet corn, tomatoes and peppers).
Properly made compost, on the other hand, may be applied within these time windows. In general, these restrictions will affect only vegetable growers, who commonly raise short-season crops with high nutrient demands in tight rotations. Many organic grain and dairy farmers "compost" on-farm livestock manures without having to worry about maintaining time-temperature-and- turning logs. In practice, most certified organic farmers either abide by the 90/120-day rule or use thermometers that automatically record time and temperature data within their compost piles.
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More on E. coliClick here for a critical report from The Organic Center's Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., on preventing E. coli and other pathogenic contamination when producing food organically.
Prohibited SubstancesManures composted for use on certified organic farms do not have to come from certified organic livestock, but they do have to be free of prohibited substances.
Read more >>
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