Organic System Plan (OSP) Templates for Certifiers

Abstract

This publication contains templates that can be used by organic certifying agencies to develop and standardize their application materials. Applications for organic certification constitute the Organic System plan required by the National Standard. These templates are structured to elicit the information needed for organic system plans. This document replaces a 2002 ATTRA publication Creating an Organic Production and Handling System Plan: A Guide to Organic Plan Templates.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Acknowledgements
• Template Descriptions
• Access to Templates
• Summary
• Regulations on Organic System Plans
• Templates:
  • Organic Farm Plan Template
  • Organic Farm Plan Update Template
  • Organic Livestock Plan Template
  • Organic Handling Plan Template

Introduction

Under the National Organic Standard, every certified organic farm, ranch, and handling operation must submit an organic system plan or "OSP" when applying for certification, and update that plan annually (or more frequently if operational changes are made). §205.201 of the National Standard outlines the specific requirements for a complete OSP. It is customary, in most instances, for certifying agencies to structure their application forms so that all the information required in an OSP, is solicited from the applicant. The templates provided in this document were created to address the essential elements of a complete OSP. They are models that certifiers are encouraged to apply when creating or revising their own application/OSP documents.

Note that this document replaces a 2002 ATTRA publication Creating an Organic Production and Handling System Plan: A Guide to Organic Plan Templates.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to the following members of the stakeholder team responsible for reviewing and guiding development of the Organic Livestock Plan Template and the biodiversity language additions to the Organic Farm Plan Template: Katherine Adam, NCAT; Ann Baier, NCAT; Jo Ann Baumgartner, Wild Farm Alliance; Brenda Book, Washington State Dept. of Agriculture; Cissy Bowman, Indiana Certified Organic; Mark Bradley, USDA-NOP; Diane Collins, Organic Farm Marketing; Lisa Cone, Waterfall Hollow Farm; Joyce E. Ford, Organic Independents; John Foster, Oregon Tilth; Liana Hoodes, National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture; Lisa Hummon, Defenders of Wildlife; Nancy Matheson, NCAT; Lisa McCrory, NOFA-VT; Nancy Ostiguy, The Pennsylvania State University; Jim Riddle, University of Minnesota; Pam Riesgraf, Organic Valley; Barbara C. Robinson, USDA/AMS; Kelly Shea, Horizon Dairy; Kathy Turner-Clifft, Doubletree Ranch LLC; Sara Vickerman, Defenders of Wildlife; Ann Wells, Springpond Holistic Animal Health; Katherine Withey, Washington State Dept. of Agriculture.

Template Descriptions

Organic Farm Plan Template

This template typifies the basic application form provided to all farmers and ranchers who produce crops and graze livestock. It details how the land and crops will be managed in compliance with the National Standard. When completed by the producer and agreed to by the certifier, it essentially becomes a contract and a roadmap. A Field History Sheet is included as part of this document. Field history sheets are an essential part of an OSP.

The Organic Farm Plan template—as well as Organic Farm Plan Update and the Organic Handling Plan templates—were originally authored by Jim Riddle and Joyce Ford. They were created for the Independent Organic Inspectors Association (IOIA) and the Organic Certifiers Council (OCC) with funding from the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP). Revisions were later made with funding assistance from the John Deere Company’s "Go Organic" project. In 2002, the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) approved all three templates as guidance documents. In August 2005, the NOSB approved specific additions to the template recommended by the Wild Farm Alliance and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT). These additions solicited more information on farm biodiversity planning and practices.

Organic Farm Plan Update Template

Many certifiers allow producers to use a much shorter form when doing the annual update of their OSP. The Organic Farm Plan Update template is a model of how such a document might look. A Field History Sheet is also part of this document and requires annual update.

Organic Livestock Plan Template

This template is intended for use when creating application/OSP documents for livestock enterprises. It is structured to address all common livestock enterprises in a single form. In most instances, producers will also be completing an organic farm plan to address crop, pasture and or range management. This template has been designed to "stand alone" as the sole application form in the event that the operation does not have a crop- or range-land base, as is the case with some poultry operations.

The Organic Livestock Plan template was created in 2006 by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) under contract with the National Organic Program (NOP). It received significant input from a large group of stakeholders from the organic community.

Organic Handling Plan Template

This template is intended for use when creating application/OSP documents for processing, on-farm processing, and other organic handling enterprises. An Organic Product Profile form is included as part of the whole template document.

Access To The Templates

All four templates are considered to be in the public domain. They may be adapted and used as needed by certifying agencies, educators, producers, handlers, and anyone else to whom they might be useful. Print copies are available free-of-charge from ATTRA by calling 1-800-346-9140. Electronic copies may be downloaded free of charge from this web page.

Summary

• Each producer and handler must develop an organic system plan (OSP) to obtain organic certification.
• Certifying agencies typically provide questionnaires that solicit all the information needed to constitute a complete OSP.
• OSP templates have been designed an approved by the National Organic Program (NOP) and the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) as guidance materials for how such questionnaires can be structured.
• The OSP templates provided in this publication may be freely adapted by certifiers and others as needed.

Regulations on Organic System Plans

1. The producer or handler of a production or handling operation, except as exempt or excluded under § 205.101, intending to sell, label, or represent agricultural products as "100 percent organic," "organic," or "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))" must develop an organic production or handling system plan that is agreed to by the producer or handler and an accredited certifying agent. An organic system plan must meet the requirements set forth in this section for organic production or handling. An organic production or handling system plan must include:
   1. A description of practices and procedures to be performed and maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed;
   2. A list of each substance to be used as a production or handling input, indicating its composition, source, location(s) where it will be used, and documentation of commercial availability, as applicable;
   3. A description of the monitoring practices and procedures to be performed and maintained, including the frequency with which they will be performed, to verify that the plan is effectively implemented;
   4. A description of the recordkeeping system implemented to comply with the requirements established in § 205.103;*
      * §205.103 deals with the requirements for recordkeeping by certified operators. Records must:
      1. be well-adapted to the business being conducted,
      2. disclose all activities and transactions in adequate detail,
      3. be maintained for not less than five years,
      4. be sufficient to demonstrate compliance with federal regulations, and
      5. be accessible to inspection by appropriate officials.
   5. A description of the management practices and physical barriers established to prevent commingling of organic and nonorganic products on a split operation and to prevent contact of organic production and handling operations and products with prohibited substances; and
   6. Additional information deemed necessary by the certifying agent to evaluate compliance with the regulations.
2. A producer may substitute a plan prepared to meet the requirements of another Federal, State, or local government regulatory program for the organic system plan: Provided, That, the submitted plan meets all the requirements of this subpart.

Templates

Following are links to the templates as Microsoft Word documents, which can be filled out, printed and submitted to the appropriate certifying agency.

Organic Farm Plan Template

Organic Farm Plan Update Template

Organic Livestock Plan Template

Organic Handling Plan Template

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