Lesson 3: Recordkeeping

Overview

 

For many farmers, recordkeeping is among the most daunting aspects of certified organic production. But most people find that the reality of organic recordkeeping is not all that bad—and in fact has a number of benefits. Getting things on paper can help you look at your operation from a new perspective. Even just making a farm map—one of the first requirements for certification—can be instructive. I know a farmer who had a field his grandfather always said was 20 acres, but when he measured it, he discovered it was 22 acres. Needless to say, that changed the way he thought about inputs and yields for that field.
 
Some of the records and documents required for certification, you may already be keeping for other reasons, such as mandatory nutrient management rules or worker safety regulations. Knowing how much manure or compost you're spreading on your fields is required for organic certification, but it's a good idea for a whole host of reasons.
 
Good recordkeeping is also good business. Keeping inventory logs of our grain bins and other storage areas, for instance, also helps with marketing. If somebody calls to say they'd like to buy 100 bales of organic alfalfa hay, I can look at one form and give them an answer.
 
Since organic farming is based on management rather than inputs, having records that you can use as a historical reference as to what works well, what could be improved and what should be changed is invaluable in both developing and managing a lucrative operation. Long-term, successful organic farmers all have at least one thing in common: a good recordkeeping system that they refer to regularly when making decisions.
 

 

 

 Farmer-to-Farmer

"Certification takes less time and paperwork today than it did before the creation of the National Organic Program. Because of the cost-share program, it's more economical as well."
~Anne and Eric Nordell
Trout Run, PA

 

 

"Over the years, I've learned that documenting my practices enables me to evaluate my operation based on reality—not memory. For me, farming is a continuous learning process, and the creation and maintenance of an organic farm plan is an integral part of that."
~Rosie Koenig
Gainesville, FL