Organic Handler Certification
Farm to school toolkit.
Organic handler certification. Handler application forms required for new certification. Farm to school in washington. Most farms and businesses that grow handle or process organic products must be certified including. Retailers can request certification however they are not required to by the national organic program.
It will help you find resources understand certification issues maintain compliance with organic standards and ensure your continued certification with ccof. This packet contains information about the organic certification process for handlers answers to common questions about certification and sample forms to assist you with meeting record keeping requirements. To be certified an operation must comply with organic production and handling regulations established by the usda national organic program nop. Principles of organic standards.
Any person engaged in the business of selling processing or packaging agricultural products except for final retailers that do not process agricultural products. Organic certification includes the application process the company and product inspection and certification. The programs purposes are simultaneously to develop texas agricultural economy and to provide consumers with the most abundant and diverse food and fiber supply possible. New organic handlers can apply for certification at any time.
School nutrition local food. Impacts of farm to school. About farm to school. Sold labeled or represented as organic.
Handlers currently engaged in brokering trading or distributing organic products beyond the exclusions provided in 205101b are not in compliance with the usda organic regulations and may be subject to civil penalties of up to 11000 pursuant to 205100c1. Usda organic certification confirms that the farm or handling facility whether within the united states or internationally complies with usda organic regulations. If youre planning to market your product as organic you must get certified by a national organic program nop accredited agent. Definition of a handlerprocessor.
Washington state farm to school network. Handler application form pdf format handler system plan pdf format please provide a product flow diagram. Handlers that sell more than 5000 of organic processed food including handlers that place bulk products into smaller packages or that repackagerelabel products. Farms that sell more than 5000 in organic products per year gross sales.
Any farm or business that grosses more than 5000 annually in organic sales must be certified. Product profile form with corresponding labels pdf format xls format. Information on becoming a certified organic handlerprocessor. Organic agriculture is based on holistic production management systems which promote and enhance agro ecosystem health including biodiversity biological cycles and soil biological activity.