Resources

WSDA Organic Program has compiled a series of resources that may be helpful to certified organic operations. Many of these resources were developed and are maintained by other organizations. If you notice any of the links below that no longer work or are out of date please contact us and let us know.

The USDA organic regulations are the corner stone of organic certification. The organic regulations outline the requirements for organic operations such as: descriptions of what input materials can be used on an organic farm, the labeling requirements for organic products, and how to resolve any non-compliances that may be identified.

Additionally farms or businesses certified by WSDA Organic Program should be familiar with Washington Administrative Code 16-157. WAC 16-157 outlines the rules which are specific to WSDA Organic operations such as: the certification fee schedule and use of the WSDA organic logos.

This Sound and Sensible Organic Certification video series, filmed in Washington State, features certified organic clients and addresses some common questions about USDA Organic regulations and the certification process.

These videos were developed with support from U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service, National Organic Program.

Determining which input materials are allowed for use in organic agriculture can be a daunting task. Fortunately there are resources to help make this task easier for you. WSDA Organic Program and the Organic Material Review Institute both publish lists of materials they have reviewed and approved for use in organic agriculture. While these inputs have been approved for use, it is important to check the lists and ensure that you are using the material for the reviewed purpose and following all listed restrictions.

These are not exhaustive lists of all input materials allowed for use in organic agriculture. If you would like to use a input material not on these lists, simply contact us and we can help you review that material.

Organic crop producers may also review our Input Materials for Use in Organic Crop Production factsheet (PDF 139 KB) for additional guidance on evaluating input materials.

Labeling is an important and often times confusing part of the USDA organic regulations. WSDA Organic Program has developed resources to help explain the various requirements for organic labeling.

The Organic Integrity Database

The USDA’s Organic Integrity Database is a comprehensive list of certified organic operations. It contains information about all USDA certified organic operations, including those certified by WSDA. Please note, while the certification status of each operaiton is kept up-to-date (within three business days), you may need to obtain an addendum issued by the certifier to verify specific details about their crops or products such as varieties, brands, or international equivalencies.

Below are a collection of factsheets from various sources that cover a wide range of topics about the certification process and requirements.

The following are a collection of sample record keeping forms that may be useful to organic operations. These forms are for your use only and are not required as part of an application packet. Rather, if you choose to use them; they should be maintained and made available to your inspector at your inspection.

Name of document	Printable form
Buffer Crop Disposition Record	PDF 103 KB
Compost Production Record	PDF 110 KB
Equipment Cleaning Log	PDF 104 KB
Farmers Market Load List or Farm Stand Sales Record	PDF 106 KB
Harvest Plan and Record "Pick List"	PDF 103 KB
Harvest Record	PDF 109 KB
Adjoining Land Use Verification	PDF 75 KB
Planting and Harvest Record	PDF 121 KB
Crop Rotation Record	PDF 115 KB
Seed-saving and Planting-stock Propagation Record	PDF 92 KB
Material Record Keeping (AGR 2161)	PDF 37 KB
Organic Seed Availability Record (AGR 2261)	PDF 24 KB

USDA National Organic Program facilitates trade with many other trading partners through trade arrangements. If your business is interested in exporting your crops and products internationally  you must follow these trade arrangements. There may be different requirements depending on the country of import or the type of product. Refer to our international markets page for more information about exporting  organic products.

When land is converted to organic production, it must undergo a 36-month transition before an organic crop is harvested. During the transition, organic practices are adopted, but products must not be labeled, sold, or represented as organic.

WSDA Organic Program offers a voluntary transitional certification program for businesses under going transitioning land to organic production. The program verifies the land has not had prohibited materials applied for at least 12 months and verifies the adoption of organic practices by the farm. In return, certified transitional producers may market and represent their crops using the WSDA Certified Transitional Logo.

WSDA's Small Farm and Direct Marketing Program works with farmers, farmers markets, chefs and non-profit organizations to connect consumers directly to farmers who sell fresh, local products. In 2014, they published the Small Farm and Direct Marketing Handbook. While not specific to organic production, the handbook contains resources and information that are of particular interest to small farms and farms marketing directly to consumers.