Six Steps to Certification

  1. CALL, CLICK or WRITE: To locate a regional office or chapter near you, please call (402) 477-2323, or write to info@ocia.org. You can also access information and application forms online at www.ocia.org.
  2. READING: Organic requirements vary dependant upon where you are located and where you are selling. You will need to be aware of the regulations that apply to the region that you are certifying in, as well as any countries, or regions that you are selling to. For instance, to sell a product as organic in the United States, you must be certified to the National Organic Program (NOP). While in Québec, Canada, you must be certified to the Conseil des Appellations Réservées et des Termes Valorisants (CARTV). One important point to remember is that no prohibited materials may have been used for 3 years prior to the first organic harvest.
  3. SUBMISSION: Please complete the Operator Licensing Agreement (OLA) and the applicable Organic System Plan(s) (OSP[s]). You will need to identify which of OCIA's accredited programs you would like to certify your products under (NOP, IFOAM, CARTV, JAS). Send the OLA and OSP(s), along with your supporting documentation - field histories, maps, inventory sheets, logs, etc.- and nonrefundable certification fee, to the OCIA International office.
  4. INSPECTION: Once your application has been received, a certification coordinator will review the information for completeness. If the application is complete, the coordinator will assign an OCIA-approved inspector to visit your operation. An authorized representative of your operation must be available to answer questions during the inspection. The inspector will send the inspection report directly to OCIA International. A copy of the inspection report will also be sent to you so that you will be able to add supplemental information.
  5. REVIEW: The Certification Decision Team will review your file, complete with the application information and inspection report. This review verifies that your operation is in compliance with OCIA's certification requirements.
  6. DECISION: If your operation is found to be in compliance, OCIA will send you a Certificate of Organic Certification. This certificate will list your certified products, as well as the specific certification program(s) that your products are certified under. A letter and checklist will accompany your certificate, and will give guidance on what can be done to improve your organic operation. Your certification will remain in effect until it is surrendered, suspended or revoked. However, annual update forms and inspections are required to maintain your organic certifications.