Link to DEM Home Page Link to State of RI web site RIDEM graphical banner, showing land and water scene
Navigation button, HomeNavigation button, ProgramsNavigation button, TopicsNavigation button, MapsNavigation button, PublicationsNavigation button, NewsNavigation button, EventsNavigation button, SearchNavigation button, HelpNavigation button, Contact
Home > Programs > Bureau of Natural Resources > Division of Agriculture > Organic Certification Program


 
Division of Agriculture

Organic Certification ProgramRI Organic Logo

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Division of Agriculture and Resource Marketing
235 Promenade St.
Providence, RI 02908-5767
Tel: (401) 222-2781
Fax: (401) 222-6047
Email: matt.green@dem.ri.gov

Overview

The Plant Industry Section of the Division of Agriculture and Resource Marketing administers the Rhode Island Organic Certification Program, by which qualified crops producers and handlers in the state are certified as growing and handling/processing produce organically. Beginning in 1990, crops were certified by standards developed by the Rhode Island Organic Certification Committee. Since the USDA AMS National Organic Program (NOP) went into effect in October 2002, the DEM has been an accredited state certification agency certifying according to the NOP Standards. The NOP requires that any raw or processed farm product sold as organic in the US must be produced according to these Standards. Any operation with gross agricultural income from sales of organic products over $5,000.00 annually is required to be certified by a USDA-accredited certifier. Operations exempt from certification are also required to comply with the production and record keeping requirements of the Standards. The organic regulatory text from the Federal Register can be found on the NOP web page.

To become certified, a crop producer must submit an application prior to April 1 with an organic system plan, soil test results, field history reports and any supporting documentation to the Division of Agriculture. After these documents are reviewed by the Division and show apparent compliance, the applicant is either notified of a need for submission of additional information or of completeness of the application. When the application documents are complete, an inspector from the Division visits the farm to verify that the plan is being followed in accordance with the Standards. After the Division approves the inspection reports, the farm can be certified.

To be considered for organic certification, a field must have been managed organically following the Standards for the previous three consecutive years. Farmland that has been farmed organically for at least twelve months can be certified "transitional" while awaiting eligibility to be certified organic. However, produce from a transitional field may not be marketed as organic or used as organic ingredients in other products.

Operations certified organic in the handler category are those that process, manufacture or handle organic products. To find out whether an operation should be certified as a handler, read through the questionnaire.

Rhode Island Certified Organic & Transitional Crops Producers & Handlers

Rhode Island Organic Farms & CSA Brochures Allowed, Restricted and Prohibited Substances

The National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) advises the US Secretary of Agriculture in determining which substances are allowed, allowed with restrictions or prohibited for use in organic operations. This section of the National Organic Standards is the National List. Organic farmers are generally limited to using non-synthetic fertilizers and pest control materials on their farms. The National List contains several approved synthetic substances as well as some prohibited non-synthetic substances.

The RI Division of Agriculture determines whether materials are allowed for use according to the National List. All materials planned for use must be approved by the Division and must be listed on the operation's organic farm plan or handling plan, which must be approved prior to implementation. The Division maintains a Brand Name Materials List, with accompanying manufacturer Contact List, to help ensure that operations it certifies as organic and transitional use only NOP-approved materials as inputs. Compliant materials may be requested for approval following a review of ingredients. Materials may be unallowed because of prohibited active or inert ingredients or their process of manufacture, which may or may not be listed on the product label. Some approved materials may be allowed with restrictions. Therefore it is important that operators only use materials as approved on their organic plan to avoid accidental use of a non-approved material and de-certification of their land for three years.



Regulations

How to Apply

  • Crop Producer New and Annual Update application submission deadline is April 1. Handler New applications may be submitted at any time. Handler Annual Update applications are due on a rolling basis according to date of certification. Required application forms and documentation are listed below for each category and type of application. The application forms are downloadable in PDF format.


  • Crop Producer New Application
    • Forms to be completed by new applicants for the crop producer category: Application for Certification, Farm Plan Questionnaire, Field History Report (complete one for each of the previous three years)
    • Additional required documentation: Current soil test results, Farm maps and any supporting documentation

  • Crop Producer Annual Update
    • Forms to be completed for the annual update for the crop producer category: Farm Plan Update Questionnaire, Field History Report (for the previous cropping season)
    • Additional required documentation: Current soil test results, Updated farm maps and any supporting documentation

  • Handler New Application
    • Forms to be completed by new applicants for the handler category: Application for Certification, Handling Plan
    • Additional required documentation: Organic Integrity Plan, Organic Product Profile sheet for each product requested for certification, and a current schematic product flow chart and facility map for each facility which will handle organic products, and any supporting documentation

  • Handler Annual Update
    • Forms to be completed for the annual update for the handler category: Handling Plan
    • Additional required documentation: Organic Product Profile sheet for each product requested for certification, and if changes are requested submit updated Organic integrity plan, Schematic product flow chart and Facility map for each facility which will handle organic products, and any supporting documentation
Application Forms
The links below contain downloadable forms in PDF format. For questions about which forms are needed for each category and application type and for application submission deadlines, read How to Apply above, and for more information contact the Division of Agriculture by email at matt.green@dem.ri.gov or by telephone at (401) 222-2781. Mail completed forms and supporting documentation with the $50.00 application fee to the RI DEM Division of Agriculture, 235 Promenade St., Providence, RI 02908-5767.
Certification Fee
There is an application/annual update fee of $50.00 per operation for organic or transitional certification. This fee covers all services for all categories of certification for one year.

Links
For General Information 222-6800 • After Hours Emergencies 222-3070 • Disclaimer
rev. 2/28/08