(TRENTON) -- Organic farm certification applications are now available
from the Northeast Organic Farming Association
of New Jersey (NOFA-NJ) through the New Jersey
Department of Agriculture.
Application packages will be available at a cost of $25, which will be deductible
from the certification fee. Application packets include:
· A copy of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations
for organic production and handling, 7 CFR Part 205, the National Organic Program;
Final Rule;
· the current Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) Generic Materials
List and Brand Name Products List;
· all necessary forms for organic certification of production (farming)
operations.
Any producer selling more than $5,000 worth of product and making an organic
claim must be certified. Certification must come from an USDA Accredited Organic
Certifier, such as NOFA-NJ.
To request an application packet, growers should send a $25 check or money order
made out to NOFA-NJ to: Organic Certification Program, New Jersey Department
of Agriculture, Division of Marketing and Development, PO Box 330, Trenton, NJ
08625, attn: Erich V. Bremer.
The certification and approval process can take three to six months to complete.
If a grower intends to sell organic crops in spring of 2006, now is the best
time to apply for certification.
NOFA-NJ is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of organic agriculture.
More information concerning NOFA-NJ can be found on their website at www.nofanj.org.
The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is in the process of developing an organic
certification program. For additional information concerning organic certification,
please contact Mr. Erich Bremer, New Jersey Department of Agriculture, (609)
984-2225 or erich.bremer@ag.state.nj.us.
|
|
|
