It’s hard to imagine a less appealing way to end a long day in the field than sitting down at the kitchen table to sort through a stack of technically worded paperwork. After hours of physical labor, deciphering forms and regulations rarely sounds like a relaxing evening.
For many farmers and ranchers, this perception alone is enough to deter them from pursuing organic certification. But does the paperwork really deserve its reputation? Let’s follow the paper trail and see if this myth holds up.
The Truth: Dotting Your I’s and Crossing Your T’s is Worth It
Let’s get this out of the way: yes, there is paperwork involved in organic certification. But it’s not the endless burden it’s often made out to be, and you don’t have to carry it on your own!
There are two major buckets of paperwork: the Organic System Plan application and the ongoing recordkeeping.
- The Organic Systems Plan Application (OSP)
The OSP is the largest piece of the process, and about 90% of the paperwork happens in the first year, when the application is submitted.
The OSP is essentially a detailed description of how an operation functions: what’s grown or raised, what inputs are used, and how organic integrity is maintained. Certifying agencies use this information to confirm compliance with organic regulations.
It’s a heavy lift, but it doesn’t have to be done alone. Certifiers provide guidance and support throughout the application process. Once certified, producers only need to make simple annual updates to their OSP to reflect changes in their operation.
- The Ongoing Recordkeeping
For farmers who haven’t historically kept records, creating this new habit may feel overwhelming. But there is some flexibility: Producers can keep records in whatever format they prefer. Love a good spreadsheet? We love that for you. A notebook more your style? Here’s to good penmanship. Be it digital, paper, calendars, spreadsheets, notebooks, or a combination of the above, many options are allowed, as long as the correct records are kept.
How do you determine which records need to be kept?
There are two audits performed at inspections to determine the needed records:
- The Traceback follows a product from “sale to seed,” meaning it traces a product from when it leaves an operation to when it enters an operation. Records should be kept for each major phase: seeds/stock/seedlings, planting information, input materials, harvest and storage information, and, finally, sales. Records should include varieties, quantities, dates, and locations.
- The Mass Balance compares the outputs of your operation (products) to what entered your operation. If you only planted 10 kale plants, but harvested 1,000 bunches of kale over the course of the season, those numbers don’t add up.
For this audit, you need to track quantities throughout the product lifecycle. For crops, this includes seeds/seedlings purchased, planted, harvested, and sold. For livestock, this includes animals purchased/born, feed consumed, and dairy or meat sales.
Why Busting This Myth Matters
Simply put, clarifying this fact is important because being Certified Organic could be the thing standing between a producer increasing their market (and therefore profit).
Many producers also report that keeping records improves their business in the long run; they gain more specific insights into where their operations are profitable versus struggling.
The demand for organic food is growing. Domestic organic sales have increased at an average rate of 5% year over year, roughly twice the growth rate of the overall food market. Depending on your location, local outlets may already be actively seeking certified organic products. Putting pen to paper and getting certified as organic may just take your operation to a new level.
Case Studies:
Don’t just take our word for it; The records speak for themselves. Here are three producers who have their own experiences of how certification has directly impacted their businesses:
Diane Green of GreenTree Naturals, ID: “To me, the organic certification has proof of integrity. I think it really means something, and I know that it means something to our customers… And once you get into the process of certifying, it’s not that difficult. I mean, I hear farmers all the time saying, ‘Well, I’d certify, but it’s just too much trouble.’ Well, if you’re a small-acre farmer or you’re in the business of farming, you should be doing record-keeping no matter what – so you know what the bottom line is, so you know if you’re making money.”
Andy Zylstra of Misty Morning Dairy, WA: “I think there’s really a lot of benefit from the recordkeeping part of it. I think it makes you a better manager, and you can really see where your downfalls are, and where you’re doing well. Once you get the hang of it and get a system in place, it becomes less tedious; you just see it as just part of life, and you carry on.”
Dale Sharkey of Cosmic Apple Gardens, ID: “I think it’s just a few years of practice and learning what the inspectors are gonna ask you for. I’m a really big believer that every farm is as different as the farmer, so each farmer just has to figure out how to make it easy for themselves. Part of your cost analysis to be a successful farmer is to keep records to figure out how to price so you can sustain your business.”
Bottom Line
The paperwork to become certified organic is not nearly as consuming as it’s often made out to be. While there is paperwork, 90% is completed in the first year, and ample assistance is available throughout the process. The recordkeeping structure that you’re left with after the initial certification may just benefit your business in the long run. Organic certification can open doors to stronger consumer trust, expanded market access, and price premiums that simply aren’t available otherwise. Let’s file the paperwork myth under “Busted.”
Have Questions?
Still feel daunting? Curious about what organic certification could look like for your operation?
There are hundreds of resources and pre-existing organic recordkeeping templates that are available to producers! Check www.organictransition.org/resources to explore some of them. NW TOPP can also assist with developing recordkeeping systems and keeping the right records (topp@tilth.org).
The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is here to help. TOPP is designed to help producers navigate the transition and certification process. Producers will find support and access to mentorship, workshops, webinars, field days, technical assistance, and other educational opportunities to learn about organic production, the certification process, market opportunities, and more.
