"When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers therefore are the founders of human civilization."
- Daniel Webster
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Interested in Being Certified?
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January 2008
Greetings!
Organic Certification Application materials for 2008 are ready. The application packet includes the 2008 Practice Manual and the application forms. There is a $10.00 charge for the complete application packet by mail. If you want to receive the application packet in the mail, please send us a note requesting the packet and please be sure to mention what type of production you want to certify (crops, livestock, maple syrup, processing…). Include your check or money order for $10.00 (make check payable to MOFGA) and mail the request to MOFGA Certification Services, POB 170, Unity, ME 04988.
PLEASE NOTE: Application packet materials are available online.
About the certification process… There is an annual fee (see table below) for certification that is based on gross annual income for all organic products. A farmer or processor with a gross annual income of less than $5,000 from organic sales is exempt from certification under the National Organic Program (NOP) Final Rule. However, they may still choose to be certified. A farmer with sales under $5,000 does have to be certified when his or her product is used by a processor that is certified and has sales greater than $5,000. There is a new applicant-filing fee of $25.00 for operations that were not certified in 2007. More information about fees is available in the Practice Manual or by calling 568-4142.
2008 FEE SCHEDULE
| Income at Least ($) |
But less than ($) |
Annual Fee |
| 1000.00 |
2500.00* |
$175.00 |
| 2,500.00 |
5,000.00 |
$200.00 |
| 5,000.00 |
10,000.00 |
$300.00 |
| 10,000.00 |
25,000.00 |
$350.00 |
| 25,000.00 |
40,000.00 |
$425.00 |
| 40,000.00 |
100,000.00 |
$500.00 |
| 100,000.00 |
200,000.00 |
$600.00 |
| 200,000.00 |
300,000.00 |
$700.00 |
| 300,000.00 |
500,000.00 |
$800.00 |
| 500,000.00 |
750,000.00 |
$900.00 |
| 750,000.00 |
1,000,000.00 |
$1,000.00 |
| Over 1,000,000.00 |
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$1300.00 |
Keep in mind that certification fees for farmers are eligible for an annual 75% federal costsharing program (up to $500) administered through the State of Maine’s Department of Agriculture. For example, if you receive an organic certificate this growing season and you paid $325, you will receive a $243.75 refund at the end of 2008.
The deadline for applications for farming operations that involve crops is April 18, 2008. After that date, applications for crops will be subject to a late fee. Because of the growing season, we cannot accept crop applications after 1 July, except for winter greenhouse production. If you are a livestock producer and your fields are a significant source of feed for your animals, you will also need to submit your application at the start of the growing season. Because tapping begins in February, maple syrup applications are due February
14th. We accept applications for non-farm processing or handling year round. Please note that we have a special application process for transitioning dairies. If you are a dairy, please contact us directly about the 12-month transition process.
Once your application is received, MOFGA Certification Services (MCS) staff reviews it for completeness. Incomplete or illegible applications will be returned. Complete applications are duplicated and sent to reviewers. Once reviewed, MCS Staff will assign an Inspector to visit your operation and complete an inspection report. The decision to grant certification is based on an evaluation of all of these documents. If you decide to withdraw your application, your refund is determined by where your application is in the certification process.
REFUNDS
- 75% of fees paid if withdrawn before Administrative Review
- 50% of fees paid if withdrawn before Technical Review
- 25% of fees paid if withdrawn after Technical Review but before Inspection
- 0% of fees paid if withdrawn after Inspection
MOFGA publishes a list of certified growers and applicants each year in its newsletter (MOF&G). MCS also maintains a searchable database on the web of certified producers and their products. We use this list as a way to connect farmers with potential buyers throughout the year. If you have any questions about certification, please feel free to contact MOFGA Certification Services at 568-4142 or by email at certification@mofga.org.
Thanks for your interest in organic certification.
Best regards,
Mary Yurlina
MCS Director
Download a PDF of this text.
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