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Organic Paperwork Is Not That Cumbersome

This article explores the significance of keeping farm records in certified organic farming, including its benefits, drawbacks, and types of information needed. It also provides examples of organic records and additional records for a transplant growing operation.

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Organic Paperwork Is Not That Cumbersome

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  1. Organic Paperwork Is Not That Cumbersome Jim Shrefler OSU / WWAREC Lane Robert Stelle Sunrise Acres Blanchard

  2. Why Keep Farm Records? • Drawbacks • Wastes time you could spend on other activities • Potential for self incrimination? • More work and information to keep track of

  3. Why Keep Farm Records? • Benefits • Impress IRS and OTC auditors • Enable financial evaluation of the farm operations • Saves time when you want to know how something was done in the past • Potential for legal defense • Necessary for careful farm planning

  4. Farm Record Keeping in General • Kinds of records • Financial and tax related • Land use, including weed and disease incidence • Crop varieties and associated market response, productivity, pest problems etc. • Fertilizer & manure applications and soil test results • Pesticide use, inventories, performance observations etc.

  5. Do Record Keeping Requirements Vary for Different Kinds of Farms? • Requirements may vary among farm types:- Conventional- Hobby / personal use • - Certified Organic - Organic, but not Certified

  6. Certified Organic Farming Requires …. • Commitment • Planning • Total Farm Management • Time / Patience • Effective Production Practices • Achieving Certification

  7. Certified Organic Farming Requires …. • Commitment • Planning • Total Farm Management • Time / Patience • Effective Production Practices • Achieving Certification Doing these things successfully requires the maintenance of suitable records!

  8. Let’s Focus on Certified Organic Farming …. For What Will Records Be Needed? • For Certification Purposes • Transition status • Initial Certification • Recertification • For Farm Profitability Purposes • Keeping crops productive • Being competitive at market • Financial stability of farm

  9. Farm Certification • Initial Certification • 3 year process (+ / -) • Transition period • Recertification: The Yearly Maintenance of Certification

  10. Record Keeping • Document that the operation is in compliance with the regulations • Verify the information provided to the certifying agent • Access to these records must be provided to authorized representatives of USDA, including the certifying agent.

  11. Types of Information Needed • Materials applied during the previous 3 years, current year, & two years projected • Organic crops/products being grown • Organic plan, - practices and substances used • Monitoring practices to be performed to verify that the plan is effectively implemented • Description of record-keeping system • Description of the practices to prevent co-mingling of organic and non-organic products

  12. Lane Center Certifications • Initial Certification in Dec. 2005 • Vegetable Project - Christmas trees • Meadow Area – Meadow for 10+ years • Yearly Maintenance of Certification • Recertified for 2007, 2008 • Some close calls!

  13. Organic Paperwork Is Not That Cumbersome Jim Shrefler OSU / WWAREC Lane Robert Stelle Sunrise Acres Blanchard

  14. Why Keep Farm Records?Producer’s Point of View • Fill out re-certification form • Answer questions during on-site inspection • Make decisions about what to grow • Decide when to plant (to schedule harvest) • Make pricing decisions to maximize profits

  15. Examples of Organic Records • Seed research and purchase • Planting (Crop rotation) • Fertilizer application • Pest control application • Harvest dates and quantities • Sales quantities (not $$$)

  16. Field Layouts

  17. Field Planting Record

  18. Certified Organic Farming Records Require …. • A Notebook and a Shoebox • Notebook is for Journal • Write down what you did each day • Shoebox is for everything else.. • Nice if in labeled folders: Seed invoices, Harvest records, etc

  19. Additional Records We Keep For Transplant Growing Operation • Varieties grown this year • 95 tomatoes • 51 peppers • 28 cool crops • 40 other vegetables • 61 herbs

  20. Labeling Scheme Lot Numbers • SA for Sunrise Acres • Alpha character for transplant class (T for Tomato, L for Heirloom Tomato, P for Pepper, V for Other Vegetables, H for Herbs, C for Cool Season Vegetables) • One digit for Year (eg. 8 for 2008) • Two digits for item number on transplant list • One digit for seeding • Example: LOT# SAP8272 • Sunrise Acres, Pepper, grown in 2008, Carmen (#27 on list), 2nd seeding

  21. Hope to see you at the tour

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