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Executive Director
Certification Administrator
Certification Administrator
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ABOUT US Baystate Organic Certifiers is a USDA National Organic Program accredited certifying agent that certifies farm operations in the Northeast & Mid-Atlantic United States, and processing operations in the Continental United States. We will certify growers & livestock producers in the following states:
NOTE ON PROCESSING CERTIFICATION Baystate Organic Certifiers often gets calls about packaged agricultural commodities that are certified by BOC that state they are grown in a foreign country. We only certify crop production in the U.S. So, for those products that state they are grown in a foreign country, we are not certifying the crop - we are only certifying the packaging of the agricultural commodity in the United States. For all of these products, another accredited certifying agent has certified the crop production and BOC has verified the certification of the crop.
The National Organic Standards requires that certified agricultural commodities be certified at every step in the production process where the commodity is handled or packaged, and that the certifying agent for the final distributor be listed on the packaging. That is why frozen fruit or packed grain grown in South or Central America is listed as certified by BOC.
Baystate Organic Certifiers focuses solely on certification of organic operations and is a National Organic Program accredited organic certifying agent owned and operated by Massachusetts Independent Certification, Inc. (MICI). MICI is a non-profit business dedicated to sustainable agriculture and food certification organized as a 501(c)3 corporation. MICI is dedicated to providing affordable certification services to farms using sustainable agriculture practices and to food processing and handling operations that purchase sustainable agriculture products.
APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR NEW OPERATIONS There is no application deadline for New Farm or Processing Applications for certification. New organic farm applications may be submitted at any time during the growing season. Certification decisions for new farms will be made usually 4-6 weeks after receipt of a complete application. If you need expedited certification, please contact our office to obtain a time frame for certification.
New processing or handling certification applications may be submitted at any time throughout the year. Certification decisions for new processing operations will be made usually 4-6 weeks after receipt of a complete application. If you need expedited certification, please contact our office to obtain a time frame for certification.
ORGANIC COST SHARE FEE REIMBURSEMENT NOTICE The organic cost share reimbursement program is again in effect for 2011. As per previous years, the cost share reimbursement program is a Federal program administered through each state's Department of Agriculture. The cost share program refunds 75% of the annual certification fee to a maximum of $750 per operation. The forms for reimbursement vary from state to state.
For operations in Massachusetts, the reimbursement forms will be mailed to you later this year. If you have questions about the reimbursement program in Massachusetts, contact Ellen Hart at the MA Department of Agricultural Resources. Massachusetts reimbursement forms are due by October 15, 2011.
For operations in Connecticut, the reimbursement forms will be mailed to you this summer. If you have questions about the reimbursement program in Connecticut, contact Rick Macsuga at the CT Department of Agriculture. Connecticut reimbursement forms are due by September 1, 2011.
If you are in any other state we certify in, contact your State's Department of Agriculture to get the fee reimbursement forms.
This website is divided into the following sections:
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Web site design and maintenance by Jorma Kansanen. COPYRIGHT © 2004-2010 Baystate Organic Certifiers. All Rights Reserved.
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