Vermont Organic Farmers, LLC - Overview of the Certification Process

What can be certified?

Any agricultural product grown or processed in Vermont following USDA National Organic Program Standards can be certified. At this time, VOF only certifies farms and food processing operations in Vermont.

VOF does not accept applications for organic certification of the following items:

• Non-agricultural products (fertilizer, compost, livestock health care products, water)
• Soil-less or hydroponic production of edible crops to a harvestable stage

All types and scales of operation are welcome. Organic production and handling operations whose gross income from sales of organic product are less that $5000 annually are exempt from certification. However, these operations must comply with National Organic Program Standards.

Application

Every year an organic producer fills out an application (also called an organic production plan) and submits this to Vermont Organic Farmers for review. On the application, the producer answers questions regarding their methods of production. In addition, the organic producer must provide actual records that chart all activities from the previous year. Please refer to the VOF Guidelines Sheets for the types of records required.

Applications are available through the VOF office. Please call the office to discuss the standards with our staff. After contacting the office, we will send you the appropriate application (maple, field crop, vegetable, livestock, or processing) to complete.

Inspection

After the application has been reviewed, an inspector will set up a time to visit the farm or facility to complete a report. The inspector is an independent consultant, with farming background, who has completed an extensive training with the Independent Organic Inspectors Association. The job of the inspector is to verify that what is written on the application is accurate. The inspector will tour the farm or facility and will also do a thorough audit of the producer’s records. The producer should expect the inspection to take from 2-4 hours depending on the size of the operation.

After the inspector completes their report, VOF will review it and send the applicant a letter that states any non-compliances that need to be resolved. If the standards are met, the applicant is sent a certificate that verifies they are Certified Organic. The application and inspection must be completed every year, as certification is an annual process.

Application Deadlines and Fees for Certification

Vermont Organic Farmers, LLC – Timeline and Fees for Certification

Deadlines for Certification

To be considered on time, applications must be post-marked or hand delivered to the VOF office by the following dates. VOF cannot accept faxed copies of applications.

• February 2: for new and continuing maple syrup applicants
• April 1: for continuing greenhouse, vegetable and fruit production applicants
• May 1: for all continuing field crop applicants
• May 1: for all continuing dairy and livestock applicants 
• While there is no specific deadline for new field crop and vegetable applicants, these operations must be inspected during the growing season, as VOF cannot certify crops retroactively. We recommend applying for certification in early spring.
• August 15: for continuing processing applicants
• Rolling admission for new dairy and processing applicants

Late Applications

• Applications received 14 days after the deadline must be submitted with a late fee of $20.00.
• Applications received 30 days after the deadline must be submitted with a late fee of $50.00.

Fees

All applications must be submitted with one additional copy and a minimum fee of $200.00.

All applicants should determine their fee based on their anticipated gross sales of certified organic product for the year. If projected sales are grossly over- or under- estimated, adjustments to the fee can be made at the end of the certification year. All financial information is confidential. There is currently a Federal cost share program which will reimburse 75% of the certification fee paid by farm operations (up to $750). In 2009, processors will be eligible for the reimbursement program.

Fee Schedule for Vegetable, Fruit, Herb, Maple Syrup, Livestock and Dairy Producers

Annual Gross Sales	Certification Fee	Cost to Producer After Reimbursement
Less than $2,500	$350	$87.50
$2,500 - 4,999	$375	$93.75
$5,000 - $9,999	$400	$100.00
$10,000 - $24,999	$450	$112.50
$25,000 - $39,999	$500	$125.00
$40,000 - $69,999	$550	$137.50
$70,000 - $99,999	$600	$150.00
$100,000 - $149,999	$650	$162.50
$150,000 - $199,999	$800	$200.00
Greater than $200,000	$1,000	$250.00

Fee Schedule for Food Processors

Annual Gross Sales	Certification Fee	Cost to Processor after Reimbursement
Less than $2,500	$350	$87.50
$2,500 - $4,999	$375	$93.75
$5,000 - $9,999	$400	$100
$10,000 - $24,999	$450	$112.50
$25,000 - $39,999	$500	$125
$40,000 - $69,999	$550	$137.50
$70,000 - $99,999	$600	$150
$100,000 - $149,999	$650	$162.50
$150,000 - $199,999	$800	$200
$200,000 - $499,999	$1,000	$250
$500,000 - $999,999	$1,200	$450
$1,000,000 - $1,999,999	$1,500	$750
$2,000,000 - $2,999,999	$2,000	$1,250
$3,000,000 - $3,999,999	$2,500	$1,750
$4,000,000 - $5,999,999	$3,000	$2,250
$6,000,000 - $10,000,000	$4,000	$3,250

Vermont Organic Farmers, LLC – Record Keeping Forms

The following record keeping forms are available to certified organic producers when additional forms are needed. Using the VOF forms is not required if another adequate record keeping system is in place.

Field Crop Records:

• New Field Three Year History Form
• Affidavit Form to Verify Three Year Management
• Neighboring Land Use Affidavit
• Field Record Sheet
• Clean Truck Affidavit

Vegetable and Fruit Crop Records:

• New Greenhouse Record Form
• Greenhouse Production Record Form
• New Field Three Year History Form
• Affidavit Form to Verify Three Year Management
• Neighboring Land Use Affidavit
• Field Record Sheet
• Spray Record
• Compost Record

Livestock Records:

• Animal Healthcare Record Form
• Healthcare Product Inventory Form
• Dairy Animal ID List
• Non-Dairy Animal ID List
• Livestock Transaction Certificate

Vermont Organic Farmers, LLC – Certified Producer Resource List

The following resources are available for organic producers through the VOF office. Resources are free of charge for certified producers. VOF Certification Guidelines Booklet & OMRI materials books are $5 each for non-certified operations.

Organic Standards:

VOF Certification Guidelines & Applicant Information Booklet

VOF Guideline Summaries for Organic Production:

• Field Crops
• Vegetable and Fruit Crops
• Meat
• Poultry/Eggs
• Transitioning to Organic Milk Production
• Food Processing
• Maple Syrup

Product Lists:

• VOF Brand Name Product List for Organic Crop Production
• VOF Organic Livestock Accepted Health Products, Ingredients & Practices
• Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI) Generic and Name Brand Products List

Livestock Resources:

• VOF Organic Livestock and Grazing Resources
• VOF Organic Hay and Forage Listing
• Organic Grain Supplier List

Grower Resources:

• VOF Organic Seed Sources for field crop producers
• VOF Organic Seed and Planting Stock Sources for vegetable and fruit growers
• VOF Organic Vegetable, Herb, Flower and Fruit Farming Resource Guide
• Resource Guide for Vermont’s New and Aspiring Farmers

Articles on Organic Certification:

• Organic Certification of Vermont’s Hay Fields
• Preparing for the Organic Inspector