Inputs

Note: All inputs applied must be reviewed by OCIA to determine that they are approved under the organic standards requested. Some inputs are restricted and certain criteria must be met to be compliant under the standards. Before purchasing and applying materials, update your Organic System Plan and submit all documentation you have about the input to OCIA for review. To speed up the review, it is best to use inputs that are already approved. The following material reviews are accepted by OCIA for the organic programs noted when part of an approved Organic System Plan.

Recordkeeping Templates

OCIA has the following templates available for your use:

In English:

• Yearly Field Activity Log
• Adjoining Land Use Affidavit
• Buffer Strip Record
• Combine Clean-Out Affidavit
• Farm Equipment Clean-Out Record
• Farm Input Record
• Field History Form
• Non-GMO Affidavit and-or Declaration of Seed Treatments
• Off-Farm Manure/Animal Bedding Affidavit
• Off-Farm Transportation Cleaning Affidavit
• Organic Seed Search and-or Purchase Record
• Prior Land Use Affidavit
• Off-Site Storage Affidavit – Farms

Additionally, OCIA has some optional NOP-livestock forms available:

• Off-Farm Livestock Transportation Affidavit
• Grazing Days/ Grazing Season Record
• Livestock Feeding Record
• Livestock List
• Pasture Rotation/Grazing Schedule/Animal Movement Record
• Non-Ruminants: Temporary Confinement/Outdoor Access Restriction Record
• Ruminants: Temporary Confinement, Outdoor Access, and/or Pasture Grazing Restriction Record
• Ammonia Level Monitoring Form

 Helpful Documents from other websites:

• Organic Vegetable Operation Record Keeping Systems from Jim Riddle and Joyce Ford

• Organic Recordkeeping resources from the National Organic Program

 In Spanish:

• Registro Anual de Actividades de Parcela
• Declaracion Jurada para el Uso de la Tierra Colindante
• Registro de Faja Amortiguadora
• Registro de Limpieza de Equipo de Finca
• Registro de Insumos de Finca
• Forma de Historial de Campo
• Declaracion Jurada de No-GMO y-o Declaración de Tratamientos de Semillas
• Declaración Jurada para Estiércol y Cama de Animales de fuera de la Finca
• Declaracion Jurada de Limpieza de Transporte Fuera de la Finca
• Registro de Busqueda y-o Venta de Semillas Organicas
• Declaracion Jurada del Uso Previo de la Tierra
• Declaración de almacenamiento fuera de sitio – fincas
• Lista de chequeo de documentos

• UE (CE) Solicitud de Exención de Semillas

Guides

Canadian Organic Growers has created the Guide to the Canadian Organic Standards. It uses plain language to explain the standards, as well as provide background information and examples. It is not a replacement for reviewing the standards, but it may be useful to operators. Please note that it is COG’s interpretation of the standard. It is not an official guidance document, so OCIA’s interpretation of some standards may differ.

Additionally, the Organic Federation of Canada (OFC) has links to the standards and related articles, as well as the Standards Interpretation Committee questions and answers.

Policies & Information

Política de Certificación de de Grupo de Productores Comunitarios (CGG)
HOJA DE INFORMACION PARA GRUPOS COMUNITARIOS DE PRODUCTORES

Organic claims enforcement (COR) on the CFIA website. This page includes information about operations no longer certified to COR and verify whether a certificate is valid under COR (very helpful for handlers/processors who buy ingredients!).

Crop Registries

Field Watch – Specialty crop producers and beekeepers in some US states and SK in Canada can choose to register so pesticide applicators are aware of their location

Web Resources for Operators and Inspectors Specific to the Western High Plains

Websites

Dryland agriculture – Home

Website produced in conjunction with Colorado State University’s Department of Soil and Crop Sciences to examine new farming practices in the Semi-Arid High Plains.  Involved in research to expand the Wheat/Fallow rotation in Western Nebraska, North East and East Colorado. 

Resilient – The Lexicon

Unique Website designed to tell the stories of high plains farmers involved in expanding production models in the challenging high plains region of the US.  High quality presentation through video, photographs, and interviews of operators, climatologists, soil scientists, etc.  This also links to national organizations involved in Organic Crop and Livestock production, Natural Resources protections, etc.

Web Soil Survey – Home (usda.gov)

Web source for identification of regional soil types

Current Map | U.S. Drought Monitor (unl.edu)

Up to date and historical data concerning drought conditions nationally. 

No-till on the Plains | Agriculture Production Systems Modeling Nature (notill.org)

Website focused on no-till agriculture in the Great Plains. Though not specific to Certified Organic Production, the membership reaches from Nebraska to Wyoming.  Resources for Cover crop cost shares, managing residue, with many good links to videos on Managing Weeds with Cover Crops, integrating Livestock, etc.

FARMS – Farmers advancing regenerative management systems (farmsproject.org)

Farmer led, systems-based program designed to support operators building comprehensive soil health management techniques in the High Plains of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas.  Information on mentorship, incentive payments, economics, practical guides

 Quick Fact Sheets

CroppingSystemBMP.pdf (colostate.edu) Best Management Plans for Climate Change Resiliency in High Plains of Colorado

 Wind Erosion Management.pdf Document on identifying types of wind erosion and mitigation techniques for farmers.

Controlling Soil Erosion From Wind.pdf