Community Grower Group Certification Packet

A Community Grower Group (CGG) is a group of producers located in an economically disadvantaged region of the world. The producers in the CGG must be committed to sustainable agricultural practices for their geographic region. The CGG must also be located in the same geographic area with members in close proximity to each other. The important factor is that ecological and production conditions influencing all members of the CGG might reasonably be expected to be similar throughout the region.

Management of grower/harvester group is centralized, i.e. formally organized as a crop improvement group, and they market their product through the group as a single entity. Individual producers cannot use the certification independently (e.g., by marketing certified organic product outside of the group).

1. Steps to Certification - Short Form (*.PDF file)
2. Basic Application (Required)
3. BioSuisse Application
4. JAS Application
5. Standards and Bylaws
6. Supplemental Forms and Information

Basic Application (Required)

1. OCIA CGG Organic Farm Plan Questionnaire
2. OCIA Organic Livestock Plan Questionnaire - for livestock operations only
3. OCIA Organic Coffee CGG Farm Plan Questionnaire - for coffee-growing CGG operations only
4. Field History Form
5. Associate Licensing Agreement (ALA)
6. Internal Control System (ICS) Agreement

BioSuisse Application

Please note: This documents are also available from BIO SUISSE's website.

1. Regulations on Implementation of BioSuisse Standards
2. BioSuisse Checklist for Individual Producers
3. BioSuisse Checklist for Processing and Trade (available as a PDF file or as a MS Word document)
4. Cooperations of Farm Operations

JAS Application

1. JAS Certification FPP/FPPMO Application
2. Explanation on how to fill out FPP/FPPO Application
3. JAS Certification Manufacturer Application
4. JAS Certification Application for Additional Applicants
5. JAS Certification Repacker Application
6. JAS Certification Renewal Application
7. Using the JAS Seal
8. JAS Certification Agreement
9. JAS Grading Record

Standards and Bylaws

1. OCIA International Certification Standards
2. OCIA Bylaws
3. National Organic Program (NOP) Final Rule

Supplemental Forms and Information

1. Community Grower Group Certification Policy
2. Checklist for Preparing for Inspection
3. Transaction Certificate Guidelines
4. Transaction Certificate Authorization (TCA) form
5. Request for Transaction Certificate Correction
6. Complaints Procedure
7. OCIA Appeals Process Procedure
8. Appeals Procedure under NOP
9. Using the OCIA Seal
10. Using the NOP (USDA) Seal
11. Certified Operator Complaint Log Instructions
12. Certified Operator Complaint Log
13. Guidance on Putting Your Audit Trail in Place
14. Bill of Lading (BOL)
15. Buffer Strip Record
16. Yearly Field Activity Log
17. Farm Input Record
18. Bin Register
19. Farm Sales Record Summary
20. Farm Equipment Clean-Out Record
21. Combine Clean-Out Affidavit
22. Organic Labeling Checklist
23. Organic Product Ingredients
24. Prior Land Use Affidavit (PLUA)
25. GMO Protection Guidelines
26. Non-GMO Affidavit
27. Organic Seed Search and/or Purchase Record
28. Off-Farm Transportation Cleaning Affidavit
29. Application for Document Review
30. Request for Certificate Acceptance
31. Request for Certificate Transference
32. Certificate Acceptance, Certificate Transference, and Document Review Procedure
33. Request for List of OCIA Certified Producers
34. Notification of Change of Key Information Form