The organic certification application and recordkeeping process is not easy. And nobody ever says it’s fun. Understanding what’s allowed or prohibited can make your head spin. Enter MyFarm and your Account Executive or affiliated independent organic consultant. The right tools and support can reduce the friction and stress of your certification. Enough said.
Don’t be afraid of organic certification
The annual organic certification process can seem scary. And it’s one of the most common reasons farmers don’t take that important first step and begin the transition process. But you can take control of your profits with organic row crop production. AgriSecure and its network of independent organic consultants have utilized MyFarm to help dozens of family farms get certified for the first time. And it makes renewals seamless and headache-free.
Organic certification shouldn’t stand in the way of your dreams. With organic row crops, you can generate more income, strengthen your farming operation business, and preserve your fields and your livelihood. There will be challenges, including organic certification, and a steep learning curve to overcome. But with the right mindset and the MyFarm platform, you can succeed with organic farming.
How to become a certified organic row crop farmer
Getting and maintaining your organic certification is a critical step in building and maintaining a successful organic farming operation. To meet the rigorous standards set by the USDA, you’ll have to keep records and follow permitted agronomic practices. It’s not easy, but it can be done. After all, there’s already nearly 20,000 certified organic operations in the U.S. If those family farms can do it, so can you.
Here’s a summary of the main steps in the annual organic certification process:
- Your farm follows organic protocols and develops an Organic System Plan (OSP)
- You farm submits your OSP to a certification agency to ensure your practices align with the USDA’s National Organic Plan (NOP) rules
- A certified agent conducts an inspection on your farm Your farm executes the OSP on your designated organic acres and transition acres
- Your farm is designated USDA-certified organic – and you receive your USDA organic certificate Throughout the crop year you track every activity, piece of equipment, type of crop input, and related records to prove you are doing it the right way
MyFarm and certification support
How can MyFarm support you with the organic certification process?
The MyFarm platform is built specifically for organic farms and transition farms. It seamlessly helps with tracking field activities, tracing organic clean-outs records, and collecting the invoices, seed tags, and organic crop input labels required.
