Organic Field Crops Documentation Forms

The Purpose and Use of These Forms

In order to become certified organic, producers must demonstrate to an accredited certifier that their farm operation complies with National Organic Program regulations. This is accomplished initially by completing an Organic System Plan (OSP)—normally part of the application for certification. The OSP illustrates to the certifier how the producer plans to comply with the regulations by detailing practices, monitoring procedures, and the different inputs that will be used. The Organic System Plan is backed up by on-site inspection to ensure that the producer is, in fact, farming in the manner outlined in his or her OSP. It is the inspector's responsibility to look for documentation and indicators that bear out the producer's claim to organic status, as well as look for any violations.

The forms in this package are provided as tools that farmers can use for documenting practices, inputs, and activities to demonstrate compliance with regulations or to assist in other aspects of farm record keeping. The forms can be kept in the barn, machinery shed, or anywhere they can make recording easiest.

Please note that these are not required forms! Organic farmers have more than enough mandatory paperwork to keep them occupied. These forms are merely intended to give you something convenient and organized to record routine things that may be important to document. Use only those forms that suit your operation and recycle the rest.

Acknowledgements

These documentation forms were developed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) with funds provided by the National Organic Program (NOP) and the USDA/CSREES Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program. Distribution is being done through ATTRA.

The authors wish to acknowledge the contributions of those in the organic community who contributed to the creation of these documents including:

• Katherine Adam, NCAT, Fayetteville, AR
• Janet Bachmann, NCAT, Fayetteville, AR
• Harriet Behar, Organic Inspector and Chairperson, IOIA, Gays Mills, WI
• Diane Bowen, Green Opportunities Consulting, Milwaukee, WI
• Emily Brown-Rosen, Organic Materials Review Institute, Titusville, NJ
• Rex Dufour, NCAT, Davis, CA
• John Foster, Seven Spoke Farm, McMinnville, OR
• Lance Gegner, NCAT, Fayetteville, AR
• Gail Hardy, NCAT, Fayetteville, AR
• Mark Keating, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA, Washington, DC
• Rose Koenig, Rosie's Organic Farm and NOSB board member, Gainesville, FL
• Nick Maravell, Nick's Organic Farm, Potomac, MD
• Nancy Matheson, NCAT, Helena, MT
• Teresa Maurer, NCAT, Fayetteville, AR
• Miles McEvoy, Washington State Department of Agriculture, Olympia, WA
• Jim Riddle, Organic Independents and NOSB board member, Winona, MN
• Maria Rosmann, Rosmann Family Farms, Harlan, IA
• Kelly Shea, Director of Organic Agriculture, Horizon Organic, Penrose, CO
• Francis Thicke, Radiance Dairy, Fairfield, IA
• Ann Wells, NCAT, Fayetteville, AR

This Set of Documentation Forms Contains

These documentation forms may be downloaded and/or printed as Excel spreadsheets.

A. Activity Log (MS Excel / 16K)
Use to record all practices and equipment used for each field from pre-plant through post-harvest.

B. Inputs Log (MS Excel / 16K)
Use to record all materials, seeds and/or seedlings used for each field from pre-plant through post-harvest.

C. Organic Seed and Planting Stock Record (MS Excel / 14K)
For documenting source, treatment and other information on seed and planting stock used.

D. Organic Seed and Planting Stock Search Record (MS Excel / 16K)
When non-organic seed or plants are used it is necessary to demonstrate that attempts were made to locate an organic source.

E. Compost Production Record (MS Excel / 18K)
To meet National Organic Program regulations, compost production requires that initial carbon-to-nitrogen ratios be within a certain range, that proper temperatures be sustained, and that piles (in certain systems) be turned a minimum number of times.

F. Field Soils Monitoring Log (MS Excel / 20K)
This form can be used to document monitoring of soil fertility and soil erosion. Monitoring procedures are required to justify the use of most micronutrient fertilizers.

G. Field Pest Monitoring Log (MS Excel / 18K)
This form can be used to document monitoring of weeds, diseases, and insect pests. Monitoring procedures are required to justify the use of most biological, botanical, and allowed synthetic pesticides.

H. Harvest Record, Organic (MS Excel / 17K)
Use to record your organic and buffer zone harvest information.

I. On-Farm Bin Storage Record, Organic (MS Excel / 18K)
Use to record details of your on-farm storage in organic-only farming operations.

J. On-Farm Cold Storage Record, Organic (MS Excel / 18K)
Use to record details of your on-farm refrigerated storage in organic-only operations.

K. On-Farm Bin Storage Record, Split Operation (MS Excel / 18K)
Use to record details of your on-farm storage of organic, transitional, and conventional crops.

L. On-Farm Cold Storage Record, Split Operation (MS Excel / 18K)
Use to record details of your on-farm refrigerated storage of organic, transitional, and conventional crops.

M. Off-farm Bin Storage Record, Organic (MS Excel / 19K)
Use to record off-farm storage of organic crops.

N. Off-farm Cold Storage Records, Organic (MS Excel / 19K)
Use to record off-farm refrigerated storage of organic crops.

O. Pest Control Log for Crop Storage Units (MS Excel / 14K)
For recording pest control activities and inputs in your crop storage units.

P. Equipment Cleanout Log (MS Excel / 14K)
Use to record cleanout activities of farm equipment.

Q. Equipment Settings Record (MS Excel / 14K)
Use to record settings and adjustments for your field equipment, for your convenience and increased efficiency year to year.

R. Sales Record (MS Excel / 14K)
Use to record sales of farm production.

These forms may be copied and distributed freely. Additional hardcopies can also be obtained by writing ATTRA at P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702, or by calling 1-800-346-9140.

Organic Field Crops Documentation Forms
By George Kuepper and Lisa Cone
NCAT Program Specialists
Tiffany Nitschke, HTML Production
IP 230
Slot 230

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ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Visit the NCAT Web site for more information on our sustainable agriculture projects.

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