Organic: Produce, Meat and Dairy
Regulated by California Dept of Food & Agriculture Organic Program
Registration:
- Complete online application
- The application is then routed to the Sonoma County Dept of Ag for review and approval
- The reviewer will ask for additional info if necessary i.e. map of property and/or any applications that may have happened. NOTE: if applicant is becoming Certified, the Ag Dept will just need the name of the approved certifier.
- Once all is in order, they approve the application and the applicant will receive the registration in the mail.
- The registration process takes 2-3 weeks
- Follow up with Sonoma County Department of Agriculture if you haven't heard anything at least 2 weeks after application 707-565-2371
- New registrants should expect an inspection from the Dept of Ag within the first year. The department will call to set up an inspection date and time.
- Certified operations will be inspected by their certifier. The Ag Dept can do a pre-certifier inspection if requested.
Contact the Ag Dept to learn more 707-565-2371.
Certification:
If gross sales of organic product exceeds $5,000 or if the business wants to use the USDA Organic seal, they must obtain organic certification from an:
Resources:
- USDA Guide for Organic Crop Producers.
- Non-GMO Requirements under the National Organic Program by Organic Trade Association.
- Visit OMRI to learn products and materials allowed for organic use.
- Symposium: Sustainability Challenges in Organic Agriculture, Nov 2016.
Options for Pesticide Use in Organic Systems webinar
UC Cooperative Extension in Marin County teamed up with experts in pesticide application to offer a webinar in December 2018. They covered some chemicals used for managing weeds in vegetable and grass-based operations and walked folks through the steps to apply chemicals effectively, safely and in compliance with state law.
To view the webinar and additional related resources, visit the Grown in Marin website: Options for Pesticide Use in Organic Systems.