Organic Certification

Applicant Rights and Responsibilities

1. Applicants are required to comply with all applicable provisions of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (Act) as amended [7 U.S.C. 6501 et seg.], and the requirements of the California Crop Improvement Association, State organic laws and the National Organic Program regulations (7 CRF Part 205).
   
   
2. California applicants are required to register with the State of California’s Organic Program.  Information on this organic registration (including procedures and fees) is available from your County Agricultural Commissioner or from California Department of Food and Agriculture Organic Program at (916) 654-0919.
   
   
3. Applicants must establish and implement (and thereafter annually update) an Organic Farm Plan or Organic Process/Handling Plan, as described in 7 CFR 205.200.  These plans will also serve as an application for California Crop Improvement Association’s Organic Certification Program.
   
   
4. Provided that an applications falls within the California Crop Improvement Association area of accreditation, the application will be processed, without regard to the applicant’s size or membership in any association or group [7 CRF Part 205.501(a)(19)].

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5. The Organic Farm Plan must include but not be limited to the following information:
   
   
   1. Name and pertinent contact information.
   2. Farm maps that clearly delineate dimensions, acreage, boundaries, buffer strips, isolation, etc.
   3. Presence of adjacent farming operations that may compromise the integrity of this organic production.
   4. At least a three-year field history, which may include documentation verifying the farm or parcel had no prohibited substances applied, or evidence of organic certification by another certifier.
   5. Records of inputs of all materials (seeds, soil amendments, irrigation water, sprays, etc.) that have been applied to the farm, greenhouse or parcels.
   6. Indication of a long-term soil management program, which may include crop rotation and soil stability programs.
   7. Evidence that on-farm production equipment (planters, fertilizers, sprayers, harvesters, bank-out wagons, etc.) are either dedicated to organic production or physically segregated and identified from conventional production equipment.  If shared, documentation of adequate sanitation between organic and conventional production, must be maintained.
   8. Evidence of the use of organic media, and proper sanitation, for greenhouse operations.
   9. Evidence of use of organic sanitation, and proper clean-out operations, for the facility.
   10. Evidence that any on or off-farm processing, handling, or storage facilities will handle only organic products or if shared, have documentation of adequate separation and sanitation between organic and conventional products to prevent contamination and commingling.
       

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6. The Organic Process/Handling Plan must include but not be limited to the following information:
   
   

1. Name and pertinent contact information.
2. List of products produced (both organic and conventional).
3. Organic Product Profiles for all organic products requested for certification.
4. A schematic product flow chart which shows where and how the product is received, stored, processed, packaged and warehoused.  All pieces of equipment and areas used in the processing must be identified.
5. Presence of adjacent processing operations that may compromise the integrity of this organic product.
6. Records of inputs of all materials used and evidence of their organic nature, or of them being an allowed substance (7 CRF Part 205.600).
7. If the facility processes both organic and conventional products, CCIA will make a risk assessment of potential contamination or commingling due to improper or inadequate identification of facilities, transportation equipment, storage facilities, etc.
8. Verification of the proper use of the USDA and/or CCIA labels.

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1. The applicant is not required to use the California Crop Improvement Association’s organic certification seal, logo, or any other identifying mark as a condition of certification [7 CRF Part 205.501(b)(1)].
   
   
2. If the applicant wishes to use the USDA seal and/or the CCIA seal on the processed product such use must comply with Section 205.300 to 205.311 of the NOP Rule.  Documentation of the use of seals must be maintained.
   
   
3. The applicant must submit with the application the appropriate fees to California Crop Improvement Association, as outlined in the schedule of fees.
   
   
4. The Applicant has a right to obtain from California Crop Improvement Association an estimated total cost of certification, and an estimate of the annual cost of updating the certification (e.g., fee schedule).  The California Crop Improvement Association’s fee schedule will explain what fee amounts are non-refundable and at what stage during the certification process fees becomes non-refundable (7 CRF Part 205.642).
   
   
5. Applicants may withdraw their application at any time.  An applicant who withdraws an application shall be liable for the cost of services provided up to the time of withdrawal of the application.  An applicant that voluntarily withdraws an application prior to the issuance of a notice of noncompliance will not be issued a notice of noncompliance.  Similarly, an applicant that voluntarily withdraws its application prior to the issuance of a notice of certification denial will not be issued a notice of certification denial [7 CRF Part 205.402(c)].
   

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6. An applicant for organic certification who has received a written notification of noncompliance or a written notice of denial of certification may apply for certification again at any time with any certifying agent, in accordance with 7 CRF Part 205.401 and 205.405(e).  The certifying agent must treat a new application for certification as a new application and begin a new application process pursuant to 7 CRF Part 205.402.
   
   
7. Applicants must permit onsite inspections with complete access to the production or handling operation, including non-certified production and handling areas, structures, and offices by the California Crop Improvement Association, as provided for in 7 CFR 205.403.
   
   
8. Applicants must maintain all records applicable to the organic operation for not less than five (5) years beyond their creations.  The applicant must allow authorized representatives of the USDA-AMS Administrator, State of California Organic program’s governing official and the California Crop Improvement Association to access such records during normal business hours for review and copying to determine compliance with the Act [(7 CFR Part 205.400 (d)].
   
   
9. Applicants must immediately notify the California Crop Improvement Association of any, (1) application, including drift, of a prohibited substance to any field, production unit, site, facility, livestock, or product that is part of an certified operation, and (2) change in a certified operation or any portion of a certified operation, that may affect its compliance with the Act and NOP regulations [205.400(f)].
   

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10. When an applicant who has previously received written notification of noncompliance or written notice of denial of certification subsequently submits a new application to a certifying agent other than the agent who issued the notification of noncompliance or notice of denial of certification, the applicant for certification must include a copy of the notification of noncompliance or notice of denial of certification and a description of the actions taken, with supporting documentation, to correct the noncompliance(s) noted in the notification of noncompliance.
    
    
11. If the California Crop Improvement Association has reason to believe that an applicant for certification has willfully made a false statement or otherwise purposefully misrepresented the applicant’s operation or its compliance with the NOP certification requirements, the CCIA may deny certification without first issuing a notification of noncompliance [7CFR Part 205.405(g)].
    
    
12. Once certified, a production or handling operation’s organic certification continues in effect until surrendered by the organic operation, or suspended or revoked by California Crop Improvement Association, State of California Organic program’s governing official or the USDA-AMS Administrator pursuant to annual verification of continued compliance with the Act. [7 CRF Part 205.404(c)].
    
    
13. The preceding applicant rights and responsibilities do not constitute all of an applicant’s rights and responsibilities under the NOP.  For example, an applicant’s rights and responsibilities with respect to an onsite inspection are set out in the California Crop Improvement Association’s “Onsite Inspection Standards and Procedures” available upon request, and provided to an applicant prior to an onsite inspection.

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