Certification Services

​Organic is a labeling term for ​food or other agricultural products that have been produced using cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity in accordance with the USDA organic regulations. This means that organic operations must maintain or enhance soil and water quality, while also conserving wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife. Synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, and genetic engineering may not be used. 

Any operation, or portion of operation, that produces or handles crops, livestock, livestock products, or other agricultural products that are intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))” must be certified organic by a USDA-accredited certifying agent. 

Certain operations are exempt or excluded from needing certification in order to make an organic claim:

Required application forms for a crop growing operation 

• Commercial Availability Record
• Crops Requested for Certification
• Non-organic Seed Affidavit
• Supplier List​​
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 2, Fillable​
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 3, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 4, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 5, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 6, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 7, Fillable​
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 8, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 9, Fillable​
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 10, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 11, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 12, Fillable​
  
• Organic System Plan Crop Section 13, Fillable​
  
  

• ​Compliance Affidavit - Canadian Organic Regime (if exporting to Canada)
• Non-organic Ingredient Affidavit​​
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 1, Fillable​
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 2, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 3, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 4, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 5, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 6, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 7, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 8, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 9, Fillable​
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 10, Fillable
  
• Organic System Plan Handler Section 11​, Fillable
  

The Certification Fee Schedule​ outlines the different costs associated with certification. All fees are nonrefundable, including the cost of services performed before and up to the date an application is withdrawn or certification is surrendered. Applicants may withdraw their application at any time, via written notification to ODA. Please contact certification@oda.state.or.us for additional fee information.​

Inspections

Certified organic operations are inspected at least once a year. ODA may conduct additional inspections:

• To resolve an issue 
• If a customer requests it 
• As part of our surveillance program 

Operations are required to notify their certifying agent if changes or events take place that may affect their compliance with the NOP standards. Examples of situations that would require you to notify ODA include the following:

• A prohibited substance is applied to any field, production unit, product, parcel, or site involved in organic production, whether directly or indirectly, intentionally, or unintentionally.
  
• You add acreage, a new field, a new greenhouse, a new product line, or a new production facility to your organic operation.
  
• You remove a field or production facility, or a portion thereof, from organic production.
  
• You develop a new retail label for your organic products.
  
• You process or handle new organic products, not already listed in your OSP.

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