Your Organic Journey
Your Organic Journey
Starting your organic journey can feel like a big step, but you don’t have to do it alone.
Starting your organic journey can feel like a big step, but you don’t have to do it alone.
At PCO Certified Organic, we’re here to guide farmers and producers every step of the way, from your first questions to full certification and beyond. Whether you’re exploring organic practices, transitioning your land, or ready to certify your products, our team provides the support, resources, and expertise you need to succeed.
Together, we’ll help you build a resilient operation, meet trusted organic standards, and connect with a growing market that values integrity and sustainability.
Certification Resource Gallery
Resource Gallery
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Organic Record Keeping
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PCO Guidance Documents
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PCO Common Forms
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Resources for Processor/Handlers
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Curious About Organic Material Inputs?
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Explore the Organic Regulations
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Organic Education & Webinar Videos
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Organic Inspection Overview
Why PCO?
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Why PCO? 〰️
PCO Certified Organic is more than a certification agency. We are a trusted partner dedicated to helping your operation succeed in the organic marketplace with confidence, credibility, and personalized support.
Since 1997, PCO has built a reputation for integrity, transparency, and dependable service. Our experienced team understands organic production from the ground up, providing practical guidance rooted in real-world expertise. Whether you are new to organic certification or managing a well-established operation, we help simplify the process and provide clear, up-to-date direction on evolving organic regulations.
At PCO, clients are never just a number. We take pride in offering responsive, personalized customer service tailored to the unique needs of each operation. From timely in-house materials reviews to modern tools like the Common Organic System Plan (OSP) that reduce paperwork and improve efficiency, every part of our process is designed to make organic certification more accessible, accurate, and manageable.
When you choose PCO Certified Organic, you gain a knowledgeable team committed to protecting the integrity of organic agriculture while helping your business grow with confidence.
Deciding To Certify? Learn more with these helpful tools and articles
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Take the online readiness assessment from Midwest TOPP for Crops and find out! This assessment is formatted like a Cosmo Quiz and aims to give operations an overview of their own organic certification readiness by highlighting and calling out strengths and weaknesses in their practices. The assessment asks questions regarding different aspects of certification, including farm parcels, record keeping, soil & water management, seeds & planting stock, pest management, harvest and transport, handling, inputs, materials, and equipment.
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Check out this regional snapshot of organic market trends, brought to you by the Transition To Organic Partnership Program:
A Farmer’s Toolkit | Regional Module - MidAtlantic, November 2025
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Head over to the USDA AMS video series, which covers different perspectives on the organic certification process, all the way through the decision to certify.
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The process of certifying can be overwhelming, and operations may not know that they have the freedom to choose a certifier. (You don’t have to choose an agency solely because they are based in your state.) Check out this fact sheet on tips on choosing a certifier that includes important questions and considerations, you may not have thought to ask before reaching out.
Check out the Choosing a certifier fact sheet from MW TOPP, “Organic Certification & Tips for Choosing a Certifier.”
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Check out these oldie but goodie resources that give a clear overview of regulations. Follow the links to the guides by certification scope:
Guide for Organic Crop Producers (ATTRA/USDA)
Guide for Organic Livestock Producers (ATTRA/USDA)
Guide for Organic Processors (ATTRA/USDA)
Labeling Organic Products (USDA NOP/AMS)
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Organic certification and Gap certification? How do they relate and overlap? Check out this resource from NW TOPP “Gap Vs. Certification What’s the Difference?”
Worried about that treated lumber on your farm? Check this out from NW TOPP: The Certified Scoop: Treated Lumber.
