Written
by NCAT experts, guides are part of NOP ‘Organic Literacy Initiative’
Beginning
farmers and existing organic operations can find detailed information about
organic certification in a series of new guides available now on the
ATTRA-National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website.
The guides were written by sustainable-agriculture experts at the
National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in partnership with the USDA
National Organic Program (NOP).
They are part of the USDA’s Organic Literacy Initiative, which was
launched earlier this year. This effort has included self-paced training
modules, outreach materials, and a guide to organic and organic-related USDA
programs.
The initiative is focused on answering one of the main questions
for farms and businesses considering organic certification: “What would I need to change in order to go
organic?”
The earlier Organic Literacy Initiative materials provided an
overview designed as a first step in understanding organic certification. The
new guides help prospective organic operations take the next step: learning
more about their specific type of organic production.
They also are helpful for current organic operations looking to
adopt new management approaches and better understand NOP standards.
The four guides provide
detailed information about the relevant organic requirements, provide best
practices, and further explain the certification process.
·
Guide for Organic
Livestock Producershttps://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=154
·
Guide for Organic
Processors
·
Organic
Certification of Farms and Businesses Producing Agricultural Products
The
guides can be downloaded for free or ordered as a paper publication for a small
handling fee either at the links above or on the ATTRA website at www.attra.ncat.org.
ATTRA has
been the nation’s leading resource for information on sustainable agriculture
since 1987. NCAT developed and maintains ATTRA through a cooperative agreement
with the USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
ATTRA covers a wide range of topics, including
reducing pesticide use on cropland, promoting food safety in sustainable
production systems, reducing farm energy use and costs, enriching soils with
the use of cover crops, and providing technical assistance in the growing areas
of local farmers markets and urban gardening.
Since 1976, the National Center for Appropriate
Technology (NCAT) has been helping people by championing small-scale, local and
sustainable solutions to reduce poverty, promote healthy communities and
protect natural resources. In partnership with businesses, organizations,
individuals and agricultural producers, NCAT is working to advance solutions
that will ensure the next generation inherits a world that has clean air and
water, energy production that is efficient and renewable, and healthy foods
grown with sustainable practices. More information about its programs and
services is available at www.ncat.org or by calling 1-800-ASK-NCAT.
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