Certification FAQs

What materials (fertilizers and pesticides) can I use for organic farming and livestock?
There is a short answer and a more comprehensive answer:

Short answer is that approved brand name products are listed at the sites below and it is safest for organic farmers, dairymen, and ranchers to use approved products from these lists:

The OMRI Brand Names materials list at www.omri.org

The Washington State Department of Agriculture organic production website

It is your responsibility to verify all input materials are allowed before you use them. Read CCOF's announcement about use of approved materials.
Materials that have been approved for use can be found on the Products List published by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), www.omri.org, or Washington State Dept. of Ag. (WSDA), www.agr.wa.gov/FoodAnimal/Organic/MaterialsLists.htm. For materials not on either of these lists, CCOF will review the material for CCOF clients on a case by case basis to determine compliance with National Organic Program and international standards. To have your product reviewed please download and complete the Material Review Request Form.

Long Answer:

Organic producers are generally looking at two kinds of products, a generic product like gypsum, compost, or neem oil; or a brand name product like "pro soil gyp", EZ Compost", or "Killzum oil."

If you are trying to figure out what materials the National Organic program Standards (standards) allow then look to the following sections:

? Section 205.203 addresses soil fertility products and practices.

?Section 205.206 addresses pest control practices.

?Section 205.238 addresses livestock health care practices.

?Section 205.601 through 205.604 is the National List of allowed and prohibited substances for organic production.

While you should read these sections and understand them; they are not very useful for day-to-day decision-making. CCOF recommends that certified operations use the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) lists to research generic and brand name products. The OMRI Generic Materials list is included in the CCOF application packet and can be ordered directly from CCOF. This book lists generic materials in alphabetical order and cross-references the material to the standards.

Unfortunately neither of these lists gets you to a brand name product that you can buy at the ag supply store. For brand name products that are listed under the generic name look to the following sources:

? The OMRI Brand Names materials list at www.omri.org

? The Washington State Department of Agriculture organic production website

Take some time to work with these sites and you can organize the list by brand names, by manufacturer and get contact information.

If you want to use a brand name product that is not listed on one of these sites then you will need to obtain a list of all the ingredients including the "inert" ingredients. Submit the list to CCOF Certification Services and get approval that the product is o.k. to use. If you use a product without verifying all the ingredients then you are taking a risk that the product is not allowed and you may lose your certification.

Finally, the US EPA does have a label "for organic use" that indicates that the pesticide product has been reviewed and approved by the EPA for organic production. The EPA does not list approved products but approved products do have the "for organic use" language on the label.

Back to FAQ