USDA Organic Certification
OIA North America is now
Americert International. For
more information, please
vist the Americert
International website at
FOR HANDLERS/PROCESSORS/DISTRIBUTORS:
- If this is your first time getting certified, please also review the first time applicant resources on the Resources page.
- To understand the basic process, read the Simple Steps to Certification Brochure.
- To understand fees, read the Fee Structure brochure.
- Be sure to review the actual regulations and understand them before applying for certification.
- Review the OIA North America NOP Certification Manual and Omnibus Quality Manual.
- Contact OIA North America for an individualized estimate of the costs of certification.
When you are ready, please use the following forms to apply for certification:
1. Certification Request Form: This form is a general form for requesting certification. We use this form to create an individualized quote for the cost of certification.
2. Form A-4 NOP Organic Handler Plan and Application: This is the main document used in applying for certification. It should be self explanatory, but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact OIA.
3. Form A4-OPP NOP Organic Product Profile: These are details of the products you wish to certify. It consists of several pages of the same exact form. Please use one page for each product you wish to certify. You can leave the unneeded additional pages blank.
4. Form A4FS- Food Safety Form: This is a necessary document which asks questions about certain aspects of food safety.
5. Form A4AOHP-NOP Organic Handler Plan Appendices: Depending on your answers to questions in the Organic Handler Plan, the form may direct you to fill out specific sections of this document. Only complete the sections as directed in the Organic Handler Plan. This is a supplement that is sometimes required for some operations.
When the forms are complete, you can email OIA the pdf copies and print and sign the originals and mail to OIA via regular postal mail.
It may seem like a lot, but we hope that you find the forms are constructed in a very understandable way and that you will have no trouble completing them. If you have any questions, large or seemingly small, please do not hesitate to call or email OIA.
Other core documents which should be read by applicants:
The OIA North America Omnibus Quality Manual describes the core policies and procedures which must be implemented by OIA North America for each of its certification programs.
The OIA North America USDA NOP Certification manual describes the core policies and procedures implemented for the USDA NOP certification program.
The latest OIA North America produced static copy of the USDA NOP Final Rule standards.
FOR GROWERS/PRODUCERS:
- If this is your first time getting certified, please also review the first time applicant resources on the Resources page.
- To understand the basic process, read the Simple Steps to Certification Brochure.
- To understand fees, read the Fee Structure brochure.
- Be sure to review the 12 Basic Rules of Organic Production and the actual regulations and understand them before applying for certification.
- Review the OIA North America NOP Certification Manual and Omnibus Quality Manual.
- Contact OIA North America for an individualized estimate of the costs of certification.
When you are ready, please use the following forms to apply for certification:
1. Certification Request Form: This form is a general form for requesting
certification. We use this form to create an individualized quote for the
cost of certification.
2. Form A3OGP-NOP Organic Grower Plan and Application: This is the main
document used in applying for certification. It should be self explanatory,
but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact OIA.
3. Form A3OGPX-NOP Field History- These are details of how the land was managed for the past three years and must be completed for each field.
4. Form A3AOGP-NOP Organic Grower Plan Appendices: Depending on your
answers to questions in the Organic Grower Plan, the form may direct you to
fill out specific sections of this document. Only complete the sections as
directed in the Organic Grower Plan. This is a supplement that is sometimes
required for some operations.
When the forms are complete, you can email OIA the pdf copies and print and sign the originals and mail to OIA via regular postal mail.
It may seem like a lot, but we hope that you find the forms are constructed in a very understandable way and that you will have no trouble completing them. If you have any questions, large or seemingly small, please do not hesitate to call or email OIA.
Other core documents which should be read by applicants:
The OIA North America Omnibus Quality Manual describes the core policies and procedures which must be implemented by OIA North America for each of its certification programs.
The OIA North America USDA NOP Certification manual describes the core policies and procedures implemented for the USDA NOP certification program.
The latest OIA North America produced static copy of the USDA NOP Final Rule standards.
