Mentors & Mentees

TOPP Mentors & Mentees will complete:

• Signup Form
• Training
• 5 hour video for mentors
• 1 hour video for mentees
• Paperwork: W9, Mentorship contract
• Mentorship Meetings (40 hours per year)
• Visiting each other's farms annually
• Monthly meetings
• Attending an educational event together 
• Asking & answering questions as needed 
• Evaluation survey and community input meeting 
• Quarterly check ins with your coordinator 
• Tracking meeting hours
• Paperwork (W9, etc!)  

$3,000 Payment for Mentors

$500 Stipend for Mentees

Transitioning to Organic

TOPP - Transition to Organic Partnership Program

• Mentorship
• Technical Assistance
• Learning
• Community!
• Contacts:
• Katie Brandt MSU Organic Farmer Training Program, brandtk7@msu.edu
• Mariel Borgman MSU Extension, mborgm@msu.edu
• Alex Cacciari, Washtenaw County Conservation District, alex.cacciari@macd.org
• Kim Williams-Guillén, Washtenaw County Conservation District, kim.williams-guillen@macd.org
• Sam Wallace, Grand Traverse Conservation District, swallace@gtcd.org

Organic Recordkeeping

By Joannée DeBruhl

Certified Organic Vegetable Farmer, TOPP Mentor and

Certified Organic Crop Inspector

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April 2024

Agenda

Primary points we will address in this session:

• Farms in the US
• Organic product demand in the US
• Overview of Certified Organic Requirements
• Benefits of Good Recordkeeping
• USDA Organic System Plan (OSP) Template for Crop Production
• Basic records needed for the OSP and On-Site Inspection
• Organic Cost Share Program
• Resources

Certified Organic Farms are <1% of all US farms and 0.5% of all US farmland.

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(1) 2022 USDA Farm Census: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2022/

(2) 2021 USDA Organic Farm Census: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Surveys/Guide_to_NASS_Surveys/Organic_Production/index.php

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https://www.statista.com/statistics/196952/organic-food-sales-in-the-us-since-2000/

Congress authorized $300 Million to help farms transition to Certified Organic.

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• Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) - https://www.canr.msu.edu/organictransition/
• Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP): All the state coordinators. https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/topp

What do you know about Certified Organic?

Basic Requirements to be Certified Organic

• No Prohibited Substances - detailed list in the NOP (National Organic Program)
• No GMOs or chemically treated seeds
• Detailed records and annual inspection - Seed to Sale Audit Trail

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Exception - If less than $5,000 in annual sales and complying with all the certified organic requirements.

Benefits of Good Records & Organic Certification

• Measure profitability of the farm.
• Higher prices for products.
• Enterprise budgets for crops, systems, and new equipment.
• Crop yields by variety - planning & choosing best varieties for your farm.
• Pest & disease records - which crops get hit first & the hardest. Identify controls and strategies that work.
• Bug expert - life cycles, preventive measures, less need for chemicals, crops grown when they are happiest - seasonal eating & seasonal growing.
• Opened up more doors - some wholesalers will only buy certified organic.
• Target customers willing to pay more, especially for local certified organic
• Organic farming community - buy bulk seeds, inputs, etc. together to reduce cost. Share tips, tricks, sources and buyers. Commiserate & celebrate together.

Daily Recordkeeping Tasks

Daily Records

• Planting & Seeding Log
• Harvest Log
• Sales Receipts
• Input records - product, amount, location

Record Tools

• Phone
• Photos
• Spreadsheets
• Journal or Paper Records

USDA Organic System Plan (OSP)

The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has a sample Application and Organic System Plan Template. It outlines all the REQUIRED components of your Organic System Plan (OSP). https://www.ams.usda.gov/reports/organic-system-plan-template

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Each certifying agency has their own application forms, so fill out the form that your certifying agency provides. It may be in a different format, but it MUST include all the components outlined on the USDA OSP Template.

Required Items to Track

9 Crucial Items to track for the organic certification process

1. Seed Records and Sources
2. Farm Map
3. Field Map
4. Crop Plan with Actual Planting Dates and Locations
5. Crop Rotation
6. Inputs - Fertilizers, Pest, Disease and Weed Management
7. Harvest Logs
8. Sales Records
9. Methods to Prevent Contamination & Commingling

Let’s Look at OSP for Crop Production:

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I’ve highlighted in yellow the sections we will review in this class.

Farm Map

Farm Map

Wash Pack & Cooler

Storage Barn

Chickens

Farm Store

House

Root Cellar

GH

Prevailing Winds

Hay Field 6.0 acres

Orchard 0.4 acres

Artemisia 0.5 acres

Austin 0.4 acres

Berries 0.5 acres

Earhart 0.5 acres

Perennial Vegetables 0.4 acres

Hildegard 0.5 acres

Dickenson 0.5 acres

Joan 0.5 acres

Rose 0.1 acres

Jacques

Rach

Edgar

Adams

Stone Coop Farm 9615 Musch Rd. Brighton, MI 48116

Farm Map - many options

Artemisia

Austin

Greenhouse

Jacques

Rachmaninoff

Edgar

Adams

Rose

Chickens

Pavillion

Root Cellar

Herb Garden

Orchard

Dickenson

Earhart

Hildegard

Joan

Berries

Perennial Vegetables

House

Wash Pack & Cooler

Equipment Barn

Seeds & Planting Stock

Crop Plan

Seed Packs

Crop Plan

Crop Plan & Communication

Seed Search: Use Same 3 Seed Companies for Searches

(All Seeds must be Non GMO. I chose seed companies that never sell GMO seeds.)

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Stone Coop Farm’s Crop Plan

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Do136w3qkhmNgh5Zf1i4VRhc2BMpwx1o/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116136629098006979071&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Seed Search: Use Same 3 Seed Companies for Searches

Perennials

Non-Organic Perennials can be purchased. They must be grown organically on your property for 1 year before you can call those crops certified organic.

Audit Trail: Seed to Sale Verification

AUDIT TRAIL:

Seed to Sale Verification Process

7 Basic Record-keeping Documents Required - these are also crucial for the application process.

• Seed Records and/or Receipts - Keep all your seed packets or seed receipts
• Crop Plan with Actual Planting Dates and Locations
• Farm Map
• Field Map
• Harvest Logs
• Sales Records
• Inputs - Keep your tags or containers for inputs

Example of Seed to Sale Verification Process

1. Inspector asks to see your seed packets or seed receipts.
2. They choose Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes.
3. Verify seeds are not treated with prohibited substance - SEED PACK
4. Verify seed search completed - CROP PLAN
5. Review location where were they planted - CROP PLAN, FARM MAP & FIELD MAP
6. Records of amount harvested - HARVEST LOG
7. Records price and overall sales for Sun Golds - SALES RECORDS
8. Does calculations to verify what was grown and harvested matches with what was sold.
9. Walks out to the farm with you to see the field bed(s) where Sun Golds were planted to verify it matches with the other records.

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Seed Search: CROP PLAN - Verify Seed Search was completed.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Do136w3qkhmNgh5Zf1i4VRhc2BMpwx1o/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116136629098006979071&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Location Planted:

CROP PLAN - Where were the Sun Golds Planted?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Do136w3qkhmNgh5Zf1i4VRhc2BMpwx1o/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116136629098006979071&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Farm Map

Wash Pack & Cooler

Storage Barn

Chickens

Farm Store

House

Root Cellar

GH

Prevailing Winds

Hay Field 6.0 acres

Orchard 0.4 acres

Artemisia 0.5 acres

Austin 0.4 acres

Berries 0.5 acres

Earhart 0.5 acres

Perennial Vegetables 0.4 acres

Hildegard 0.5 acres

Dickenson 0.5 acres

Joan 0.5 acres

Rose 0.1 acres

Jacques

Rach

Edgar

Adams

Stone Coop Farm 9615 Musch Rd. Brighton, MI 48116

Field Map

Bed Number on each bow

Field Map - Photo Records

Bed Number in each bed with

Crop, Variety & Date

Amount Harvested: Customer, Crop & Quantities

Daily Task List

Amount Harvested

Amount Harvested:

HARVEST LOG - How many pounds of Sun Golds were harvested?

Amount Harvested:

HARVEST LOG - How many pounds of Sun Golds were harvested?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ViwLI6K_zu8vFJGNGOKnHe_19tDCTEKX/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116136629098006979071&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Sales Records: Who, Where, Quantities & Price

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I don’t have sales specifically for Sun Golds. What happens?

Location Planted:

CROP PLAN - Look at ALL Tomatoes

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Do136w3qkhmNgh5Zf1i4VRhc2BMpwx1o/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116136629098006979071&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Field Map: Adams

& Edgar

Amount Harvested:

HARVEST LOG - How many pounds of TOMATOES were harvested?

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ViwLI6K_zu8vFJGNGOKnHe_19tDCTEKX/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116136629098006979071&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Sales Records: Who, Where, Quantities & Price

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Inspector uses the total sales for tomatoes to complete the calculations and finish the Audit Trail.

Ideas for Recordkeeping Help

• FFA (Future Farmers of America) & AgScience CTE High School Programs - always looking for farms to provide real work situations for their High School Seniors. Some High School Seniors can take college classes for free at Michigan State during their Senior year by doing farm work through CTE.
• Volunteer Work for produce, meat, eggs, flowers, plants, classes, etc.
• Barter - farm work, data input, social media, farmers market, etc.
• Home School Families
• Stay at Home Parents - especially new parents who used to work
• Bookkeeper - sales records and tax records

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Inputs: Fertility, Pest, Disease & Weed Management

Input Sources - Keep all your bags/tags/containers for the inputs you use. The Inspector will ask to see them and see where you store them.

Fertility

Change pH

Pest Control

Weed Control - smothering

If OMRI logo on product - safe to use.

If not, ask your certifying agency.

Many Inputs Do Not need OMRI approval.

Inputs: Manure

Manure: There are very specific requirements for using compost that contains manure and raw manure. Make sure you understand the requirements before compost with manure and/or manure are applied to your soil.

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CROP HARVEST:

No Contact with Ground: Application at least 90 days before 1st Harvest

Touching or In the Ground: Application at least 120 days before 1st Harvest

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Easiest solution - apply in the Fall or apply to fallow fields.

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Crop Rotation:

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Crop Rotation is crucial for pest and disease management as well as soil health. It can also help increase yields. Target a 4-7 year rotation plan if possible, 3 years at a minimum.

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Contamination and Commingling Risk

If in doubt - call your certifying agency BEFORE you use it. Get your response in writing and keep it with your certification records.

Possible Sources for Contamination

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• Seeds, packets and source
• Inputs - fertilizers, soil, compost, manure
• Weed Control
• Pest & Disease Control
• Drift - adjacent operations i.e conventional farms using sprays, or windborn pollination by GMO crops
• Irrigation Ditches and runoff
• Equipment cleanouts and tire wash if used for both conventional and organic fields
• Commingling

Your certifying agency can help you with strategies to help prevent contamination.

Possible Sources for Commingling

Have a strategy to keep things separated to prevent commingling - different color containers, clearly identified locations in the cooler, signs - “Certified Organic Products Only”, etc.

• Storage locations for:
• Seeds
• Inputs - fertilizers, soil, compost, manure
• Weed Control
• Pest Control & IPM
• Coolers - used for conventional and certified organic products
• Containers
• Transportation - transporting products

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Your certifying agency can help you with strategies to help prevent commingling.

Summary - Required Records & Information

• Seed Packets, Records, Receipts and Sources
• Farm Map
• Field Map
• Crop Plan
• Seed Searches
• Planting Dates
• Location where grown
• Crop Rotation
• Harvest Logs
• Sales Records
• Methods Used to Prevent Contamination & Commingling

OAK Organic Recordkeeping Template

OAK Organic Record-Keeping Template

• This resource includes templates for much of the record-keeping required for Organic Certification. This tool includes a spreadsheet and connected Google forms for growers who want to use their phones to quickly input records from the field. Check with your certifier to make sure this format will work for them.

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Organic Cost Share Program

https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/occsp/index

• Apply through your state’s USDA Office
• Provide a copy of the current year’s certification letter and a receipt for the fee paid for the certification.
• USDA will reimburse you up to 75% or a maximum of $750 Each year.

Photo from TOPP Training session

A Few Resources: There are loads of resources out there!

• Michigan Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) - https://www.canr.msu.edu/organictransition/
• Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP): All the state coordinators. https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/organic-certification/topp
• NOP (National Organic Program): https://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-program
• Certifying Agencies: Great resource and experts for the certification process.
• Sound and Sensible Videos: https://www.ams.usda.gov/reports/sound-sensible Great videos that explain the process.
• ATTRA-NCAT: https://attra.ncat.org/organic-farming/ - TONS of free guides and resources that make organic regulations digestible and understandable.
• eOrganic: https://eorganic.info/ - Huge list of webinars and other resources.
• SARE: https://www.sare.org/ - Tons of free resources and guides.

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Questions?

We will be sharing a copy of this presentation and spreadsheets with everyone who has attended.

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Please share your feedback!

https://bit.ly/4aKe6xF

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