Explore the National Organic Program Regulations
The Regulations
Officially, 7 CFR Part 205. The Code of Federal Regulations housed online by the National Archives spells out what it means to be certified organic under the USDA’s National Organic Program. This may not be the first place to start when getting into organic, but bookmark this page for later in your computer search. (The regs are dense and full of legal language. Sometimes it can be hard to think through the applications of the law, just from reading the regulations alone. That’s why the NOP has a handbook and further explainers.) Keep in mind, organic guides, training, and your certifier will always refer to the regulations when describing organic practices and compliance, so you’ll find yourself here eventually.
The Handbook
The National Organic Program provides further clarification and guidance on how the organic regulations apply to operations. The Handbook is nonbinding and operators should refer to the regulations.
Recordkeeping & Regs For Crops
After you’ve covered the basics of the regulations, you’ll want to begin to think about how to record your practices so that you’ll be able to show the certifier evidence of your practices.
See:
The Trail of Records: Recordkeeping for Organic Crop Certification from NW TOPP.
NW TOPP’s Trail of Records Video Series includes case studies and interviews with a variety of operations.
Organic Livestock & Poultry Standards (OLPS)
Strengthening Organic Enforcement (SOE)
