CCOF Blog

Ulises Castillo, 2021 Future Organic Farmers grant recipient, grew up on farms and has been involved in agriculture for as long as he can remember. Within the agriculture industry, Castillo has gained hands-on experience, primarily with berries and apples, in diverse positions ranging from harvesting to irrigation and packaging. Seeking to formalize his knowledge, Castillo enrolled…

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) today recognized the work of accredited organic certifiers with awards for extraordinary support of the National Organic Standards. The awards were presented at the annual NOP Certifier Training for organic inspectors from around…

A question that drives Paicines Ranch’s Globetrotter Foundation and its #NoRegrets Initiative is “What will we tell our grandchildren?” Much in the same way an apple tree, with proper care and attention, can produce fruit season after season, we humans can support the health and sustainability of our own descendants for generations to come. Success requires…

We have increased the number of Handler/Processor Certification Service Specialists (CSSs) to ensure that we can best meet the needs of our certified members. To see if your CSS has changed, log in to MyCCOF and view your service representative’s contact information on the Dashboard tab.
Your CSS can help with
-    general questions about certification, CCOF policies, forms, MyCCOF.org, time lines, processes, understanding your Compliance Report, and more; and
-    directing your question to the best person. For questions about a specific submission or inspection review,…

Join the CCOF Foundation and our partners for a two-part webinar series that reviews the fundamentals of on-farm food safety for small and very small organic produce farms, as well as discusses the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule compliance requirements for small farms.
Not sure what the federal FSMA means for your small organic produce farm? You are in the right place! In our two-part webinar series, Dr. Stephane Smith from Washington State University will highlight the fundamentals of produce safety for small and very small organic growers. You’ll gain tips…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the application deadline for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) to this Friday, February 4, 2022. 
OTECP offers certification cost share, support for transitional producers, and reimbursement for educational expenses and soil testing expenses. 
OTECP is funded through USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Program; $20 million has been authorized for the program. 
There are some important differences between this program and the usual Organic Certification Cost Share Program. Please…

The CCOF Annual Meeting convenes the CCOF membership to report on progress towards our vision of a world where organic is the norm.

Mark your calendar now for this special event.

In 2021, CCOF supported organic growers through the pandemic and launched new programs such as the OCal Cannabis Certification, Regenerative Organic Certified™, and our new food safety program, PrimusGFS.

Hear from CEO Kelly Damewood and CCOF Board of Directors Chair Phil LaRocca about these new programs and learn about upcoming policy and education work to advance organic agriculture for a…

Join University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and the Agricultural and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA) this winter for a weekly lunchtime seminar series for organic growers. During each Zoom session, a guest speaker will give a 30-minute presentation, followed by questions from the listeners and a more general discussion. See below for more details on the weekly seminar topics and instructions for connecting to the Zoom sessions. Spanish translation will be available.

Series Dates: January 18–March 8, 2022

Day/Time: Tuesdays, 12–1 p.m. Pacific Time…

Raymond Barsch, 2021 Future Organic Farmers grant recipient, grew up in Sacramento in a family with a passion for farming and exotic plants. Following a lifelong dream of farming, Barsch’s family purchased land with the intention of growing organically. “My dad liked the idea of organic, and I researched a little bit. I was like, oh yeah! And as we…

The broadcast date of this webinar has changed to March 8, 2022, 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Are you an organic processor confused about what food safety preventive controls you need to implement in your operation? If so, you're in the right place. Join us on March 8 for the fifth webinar in our Food Safety for Organic Processors series. During the webinar, we will walk through the process of hazard analysis, which is the first step to implementing preventative controls. 

Hazard analysis is a systematic approach to determine what preventive controls…

Growing up in Watsonville, California, Jose Villanueva Vigil, along with his family, has been involved in agriculture for many years. Beginning as a weeder and strawberry picker in a conventional setting, and with his mother also involved in berry quality assurance, Vigil became interested in learning more about the intricacies of cultivation. Vigil began working for CCOF certified farmer…

A second round of funding is likely to be offered later this year to cover expenses from fiscal year 2022. CCOF will notify the community when those funds areThe Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund—named to honor founding CCOF member Barney Bricmont—is the only fund in the nation that provides direct financial assistance exclusively to organic producers who suffer financial losses due to extreme hardship.

The CCOF Foundation awarded $169,500 in grants in 2021! 

This is the highest amount of financial assistance given by CCOF to organic producers who have experienced hardship…

This past December, CCOF celebrated Assemblymember Robert Rivas as our 2021 Organic Champion. At the Earthbound Farm’s Farm Stand, CCOF Foundation supporters and other organic professionals gathered to honor the work of Assemblymember Rivas. 

CCOF’s Organic Champion Award, which has recognized…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the application deadline for the Organic and Transitional Education and Certification Program (OTECP) to February 4, 2022. OTECP offers certification cost share, support for transitional producers, and reimbursement for educational expenses and soil testing expenses. Apply soon, because if funds run low, payment levels may be reduced.

OTECP is funded through USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Program; $20 million has been authorized for the program. 

There are some important differences between this program and the usual…

(January 3, 2022) Santa Cruz, CA – CCOF supports the growth of organic by providing service-oriented organic certification, diverse educational offerings, and dedicated policy work. Founded in California more than 40 years ago, CCOF has roots that span the breadth of North America, and the CCOF presence is internationally recognized. CCOF offers an expanding suite of certification services and is now accepting applications for PrimusGFS certification for farms, harvest crews, coolers/distributors, packinghouses, and processors of produce. 

To complement their organic certification…