|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pennsylvania Certified Organic is a membership-based non-profit organization that educates and certifies growers, processors and handlers of organic crops, wild crops, livestock and livestock products in Pennsylvania and adjoining states.
Who
we are:
Advisory
Board
David Eyster, President
Dairy Marketing Services
Bill Robinson, Vice President
Kreamer Feed and Nature’s Best Organic Feeds
BJE Farms
Barb Lindtner, Treasurer
Spring House Farm
Emelie Swackhamer, Secretary
Lehigh Co. Cooperative Extension
Lisa Diefenbach
Setter Run Farm
Seth Goldman
Honest Tea
PCO-certified handler
Patty Lovera
Food & Water Watch
Dan Lucovich
Creekside Mushrooms Ltd.
PCO-certified crops
Tom Murphy
Lycoming Cooperative Extension
(Audrey) Gay Rodgers
Hameau Farm
Elsa Sanchez
Penn State University, Horticulture Dept.
Forrest Stricker
PCO-certified crops, livestock
Melanie Wertz
PCO-contracted Inspector
Dave Wilson
The Rodale Institute
Abram (Bucky) Ziegler
Paradise Valley Organic Farms
PCO-certified crops, livestock, processor
Managing
Board Members
Emelie Swackhamer, Managing Board Chair
Dave Eyster
Barb Lindtner
Lisa Diefenbach
Patty Lovera
Tom Murphy
(Audrey) Gay Rodgers
Melanie Wertz
STAFF
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our
Purpose Is: |
|
|
To assure the integrity of organic agricultural products through education, inspection, and certification of growers, processors and handlers. PCO provides services to operations based in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO) is a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency that educates and certifies growers, processors and handlers of organic crops, wild crops, livestock and livestock products in Pennsylvania and adjoining states. PCO is also accredited under International Standards Organization (ISO) Guide 65 and the Conseil des Appellations Agroalimentaires du Québec.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Background
of
Pennsylvania Certified Organic : |
|
|
In 1985, a group of organic farmers in the Lancaster County area formed a Pennsylvania chapter of the Organic Crop Improvement Association. The Pennsylvania chapter performed certification services for its members for about 15 years. In 1997, believing that a Pennsylvania-based organization would better serve the needs of our state’s organic community, some chapter members incorporated as a non-profit organization named Pennsylvania Certified Organic.
PCO
started out with 27 members and by the end of that first
year had certified 54 crops and livestock farms. In 1998
the organization expanded to include dairy. Over the years,
PCO has added certification services for processing, handling,
distribution, brokering, mushrooms, maple products, poultry
and more. In 2004, PCO certified about 315 operations based
in Pennsylvania. That same year it decided to offer certification
services to operations in adjoining states, including Ohio,
New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia.
PCO’s office is located in Spring Mills, in the central part of the state near the main campus of Penn State University. Since 1997, PCO’s certification team has grown from one employee to its current size of 12 staff and 22 inspectors. In one way or another, all are connected to organic production: Some are organic farmers or have worked on a farm, some are trained organic inspectors, and some have an academic background in agriculture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Services
we provide: |
|
|
- We provide inspection and certification of producers, processors and handlers of organic crops, wild crops, livestock and livestock products based in Pennsylvania and adjoining states.
- We
develop and distribute information and materials related
to organic certification
- We
plan and present seminars and workshops on the organic certification
process and standards.
- We
produce publications, forms and documents needed for the
certification process
-
We provide referrals to nonprofit educational and research
organizations
-
We coordinate a mentoring program through which volunteers
agree to answer questions about organic production. Volunteer
mentors are usually PCO-certified producers, processors
or handlers and cannot be PCO inspectors or staff.
-
We provide basic information on operations we certify (name,
contact information, organic products)
-
We publish a quarterly newsletter, which includes updates
to organic standards, educational articles and market information.
-
We send email notices about information relevant to organic
certification
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Services
we do not provide: |
|
|
- We
do not provide consultation on overcoming identified barriers
to certification as prohibited by 7 CFR 205.501(a)(11)iv.
- We
do not provide individual counseling on organic production.
-
We do not provide referrals to commercial providers of products
or services
-
We do not engage in buying, selling, brokering or marketing
of products
-
We do not release confidential information as described
in 7 CFR 205.501(a)(10).
- We do not provide certification services to operations that are not based in the states listed at the top of this page.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|