Did you know that in addition to regional staff located throughout California, CCOF has representatives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Ashville, North Carolina (2 representatives!); Bend, Oregon; and State College, Pennsylvania? These CCOF out-ofstate certification employees will be playing a new role in their local regions to learn about organic matters and represent CCOF.
In an effort to improve our materials we have revised all CCOF program and standards manuals. In particular, all clients are strongly encouraged to review the CCOF Certification Services Program Manual. This is your best resource regarding your rights and expectations and CCOF policies. This revision is intended to provide a clearer description of the certification process and costs including one time fees and other policies.
We are very pleased to announce that CCOF has significantly upgraded our phone system to better serve you. As a result, all CCOF extensions have changed to four digits. This means that when you call, you will need to listen closely to the new options.
Effective August 9, 2017, the fee for adding a new product or service will increase to $75 per item. The fee for use of CCOF’s name and seal on a non-CCOF certified private labels will increase to $350 for up to five unique products (UPCs). These fee increases more accurately reflect the necessary staffing that these additions require, and will ensure CCOF is able to meet the service expectations for clients and their private label owners/marketers.
We are pleased to see CCOF-certified members working together and producing excellent organic products. We are pleased to announce that, in the last year, CCOF beat all our service performance measurements, and for most of the year, 100 percent of inspection reports were reviewed within 90 days of inspection. Over 90 percent of priority inspections were reviewed within 30 days.
As described in our blog post “CCOF Focused on Moving Organic Forward”, CCOF will be expanding GMO testing within the Periodic Residue Testing requirement of NOP 205.670. CCOF firmly believes that organic is non-GMO. In an effort to ensure effective measures are implemented, CCOF will be integrating GMO testing in addition to current pesticide residue testing efforts.
CCOF recognizes and thanks Dr. Joseph Montecalvo upon his retirement from 24 years of organic inspections. A professor of food science at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Montecalvo has uniquely contributed to the credibility and rigor of methods for organic food processing and handling inspections. Montecalvo’s contributions to the International Organic Inspectors Association—instruction, textbooks, curricular development, and serving on the board—have resulted in widespread benefits to the quality and training of organic inspectors everywhere.
Fees to add acreage or locations to your business have gone up to reflect the staffing that these additions require, and will ensure CCOF is able to meet your service needs.
Add facility/equipment/scope fee: $300: When you expand, move, or add a new scope of certification (i.e., adding processing to your farming operation), this fee applies.
