 |
|||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
What the Standards say about recordkeeping
Section 205.103 of the NOP Standards states that certified operations "must maintain records on the production, harvesting, and handling" of all products to be sold or represented as organic. Records must:
• be tailored to the particular operation
• fully disclose all activities and transactions
• be readily understood, auditable and sufficient to demonstrate compliance with the Standards
• be kept on file for at least five years
Beyond that, there are no specific rules about how your recordkeeping system has to be set up.
There are, however, some basic systems and forms that organic farmers and farmers' organizations have developed that seem to work well for certification. The array of different types of records may seem overwhelming at first, but trust me—it's not as bad as it looks.
|
It's a good idea to request application materials at least six months before you hope to be certified. Many certifiers make some or all of the necessary forms and instruction materials available on their websites; some charge a fee of $25 or so to cover photocopying and postage costs for a full application packet. Sit down and read or at least skim through all the materials before you start filling out the application.
|
