Let's Get Fresh: Are You Organic?
By Bob Workman on September 20, 2015 from Let’s Get Fresh
Note: Most, if not all, of the farmers at the BFM have been asked some form of the question “Are you organic?” many times over the years. As you will find out by reading today’s blog by guest blogger Cheri Postlethwait of Bonds Creek Farm in Ritchie County that is a very complicated question with many equally complicated answers.
What is Certified Naturally Grown? Are you certified organic? These are questions I’m asked regularly. First, I’ll address these two questions before explaining a few key differences between the programs.
Certified Naturally Grown is a grassroots alternative to USDA Certified Organic. The program places an emphasis on local farms and local economies instead of corporate agriculture. Through the CNG program small-scale farms can afford to participate in a certification program with less paperwork. This isn’t to say there isn’t any paperwork to do but the scale of paperwork compared to USDA certification is like comparing ‘War and Peace’ to ‘The Cat in the Hat’.
Enter the term “organic”. CNG farms follow the same NOP (National Organic Program) guidelines as a certified organic farm. This means I use organic seed, practice organic farming methods, have an organic systems plan (OSP), and keep records. Plus I’m required to follow the same rules for buffer zones, materials, wash stations, etc., typically followed by a certified organic farm. The difference is ONLY USDA certified organic farms can use the USDA organic seal and the word “organic”. The USDA actually owns the right to the word “organic”. This has created some interesting misrepresentations of true organic practices.
The USDA currently permits products that are “made with organic ingredients” to only have to identify the accrediting agency. This product only has to include 70% organic ingredients. Then there’s 100% organic, organic, and the specified organic ingredient categories. The USDA also allows for use of the word “organic”, but not the seal, if a farm doesn’t gross over $5000 annually. The problem is USDA says the “under $5000” producers don’t have to have an organic systems plan and don’t have to be inspected.
Wait a minute…. one of the purposes of becoming an organic farm is to demonstrate to consumers you are practicing organically by way of an inspection and OSP. As a person who spent two years working on a certified organic/certified biodynamic farm in Colorado, I find this allowance very frustrating because it gives too much sway for farms to misuse the term organic or dodge any sort of standards designed to protect consumers.
After my time in Colorado I moved back to my farm in WV. I knew I didn’t want to be a certified organic farm but I also felt like I needed a way to let customers know that I was growing exactly the way I say I grow. My methods are sustainable not only for my soil but for my farm as a whole. They are beyond the NOP standard. There’s a holistic approach taken when farming and working in the field. This includes making my own compost, foliar sprays, and creating natural insecticides like garlic water. Educating oneself in disease and bug ID is essential. Having a mentor is also a must.
Upon my return to WV I was lucky to come upon the North Central WV Farm Gathering where I was first introduced to the Certified Naturally Grown program. I was skeptical. After all, I had just spent the last year doing heavy amounts of paperwork for a certified organic farm and was disenchanted with ALL certification programs. I let the idea simmer for a few months before I finally sat down and dug into it. Once the key mission of the program was understood I was hooked.
One of the biggest differences between USDA and CNG is CNG inspections are done by other CNG farmers. CNG provides peer based certification which upholds organic farming practices while avoiding the costs and bureaucracy of the USDA Certified organic program. It’s transparent and keeps people honest. We are not paid inspectors.
CNG farmers are deeply rooted into the integrity of the program and the way we farm. All farms must do the work it takes to certify. This structure also creates a support system, or cluster, where farmers can share ideas, challenges, and triumphs. It’s communal and inclusive. We want other farms to become part of the movement and we want to help them get there.
The second difference is the fact that USDA allows farms to be “mixed”. Meaning your farm can grow the same crop, on the same farm, with one being organically grown and the other conventional. CNG excelled in this arena by only certifying farms that are willing to grow everything on the farm under the required standards. This is restricting, but appealing at the same time, but that’s another conversation.
Whether you’re a consumer or farmer I’ll leave you with this table and one question. Why Certified Naturally Grown?
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Certified Naturally Grown
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USDA Certified Organic
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Under $5000 organic
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All others using the organic term
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Uses organic seed
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Yes
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Yes
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Unknown
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Unknown
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Inspected for chemical use and practices, records
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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No
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Organic system plan
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Yes
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Yes
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Unknown
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No
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Maintains records
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Yes
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Yes
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Unknown
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Unknown
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Mixed farm use
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No
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Yes
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Unknown
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Unknown
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Government based
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No
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Yes
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Yes
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No
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Cost
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$110-250 annually
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$1000+ annually
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0
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0
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I’m about to open a store/food hub in Ritchie County and have started thinking about the labels and practices outside of my own farm. As a local food retail store I will be judged by the product and my knowledge of the product. I would love to see more farms CNG certified but I fully appreciate and encourage communication and business opportunities with conventional farms. I have tremendous respect for ALL of our LOCAL farms/farmers and can’t wait to sell/promote their product year-round. The success of local agriculture is critical for all of us and we have to work together whether we are a conventional, certified organic, or a certified naturally grown farm. It’s time to take our food system back, one farm at a time.
I’ll be at the Mother Earth News Fair representing the Certified Naturally Grown program this Friday from 3-6pm in Seven Springs, PA. Please stop by and chat a while. As always it’s a pleasure to grow for you! Big thanks to the Bridgeport Farmers Market, all of the amazing customers, and fellow vendors which have supported the dream with me. For more information on the Certified Naturally Grown program, please visit www.cngfarming.org
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Thanks, Cheri! To find out more about Cheri’s farming and retail ventures see the following websites or stop by and talk to her in person
today.
today.
Until next week, Stay Fresh!
The Bridgeport Farmers Market Association is the seven member all volunteer board of directors that governs the Bridgeport Farmers Market. It is supported by a wonderful group of community volunteers who help in the setup and maintenance of the market. For more information on the Farmers Market or to see how you can help please e-mail us at bridgeportfarmersmarket@yahoo.comor, better yet, LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on both Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out the Market’s own YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/BridgeportFarmersMktor for more BFM video content you can now go to http://vimeo.com/bridgeportfarmersmarket/videos
Go here to see all of the entries in the Let’s Get Fresh blog: http://tinyurl.com/kdv4mhl
