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## Organic System Plan Template – 

## Organic Production

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## Forms Checklist	7 C.F.R. §§ 205.2 - 205.406

Please note that these forms are suggested templates; contact your certifier for approval of the forms you plan to use. Please provide thorough descriptions that reflect all your current and planned practices. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations require Organic System Plans (OSPs) to be reviewed and updated annually. Whenever you anticipate a change in your operation’s practices, procedures or materials, please update and resubmit the sections or pages that reflect that change. This Forms Checklist must be submitted along with your application, OSP, and all other forms indicated below. 

**DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIC PRODUCTION**

Please provide a brief, general description of your organic operation, including: crops or crop types and cropping systems; livestock raised and animal products; any handling activities related to your crop and livestock production; and type(s) of marketing and sales (contract, wholesale, direct marketing, etc.).

*|_| The signature below is from an authorized representative of the operation applying for certification.*

**Signature of Applicant(s) _______________________________	Date** ___________________

SEND APPLICATION, OSP AND FEES TO:****Certifier Name, Address, and Telephone Number

Note: All business information submitted or collected is confidential and exempt from public inspection and copying.

## Affirmations  	7 C.F.R. §§ 205.400, 205.401  

|_| I/We agree to comply with all applicable organic production and handling regulations as described in the final rule issued by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and codified in 7 C.F.R. Part 205. 

|_| I/We agree to establish, implement, and update annually an OSP. I/We affirm that the attached OSP includes and accurately describes all aspects of my/our current organic operation. 

|_| I/We will immediately notify our certifier of any change in my/our certified operation or portion of it that may affect its compliance with the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 or the USDA organic regulations. I/We will submit an OSP update whenever changes are made, thus ensuring that the application/OSP consistently reflects my/our current organic operation.

|_| I/We have made/kept a copy of my/our application, OSP, and all applicable attachments and addenda.  

|_| I/We understand that a certifier’s acceptance of this form in no way implies granting of certification. 

|_|  I/We have reviewed the USDA organic regulations. I have asked the certifier for clarification of any points that were unclear to me so that I now understand them.

|_|  I/We agree to comply with all applicable State and NOP production and handling standards as described in the final rule of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and codified in the USDA organic regulations at 7 C.F.R. Part 205.

|_|  I/We will permit onsite inspections with complete access to the production or handling operation, including noncertified production and handling areas, structures and offices, by the certifier. I understand that my operation may be subject to announced and/or unannounced inspections and/or sampling for residues at any time as deemed appropriate to ensure compliance with the USDA organic regulations. 

|_|  I/We agree to maintain all records applicable to the organic operation for not less than five (5) years beyond their creation and to allow authorized representatives of the Secretary of the USDA, the applicable State organic program’s governing State official, and the certifier access to such records during normal business hours for review and copying to determine compliance.

|_| I/We agree to immediately notify my/our certifier concerning any application, including drift, of a prohibited substance to any field, production unit, site, facility, livestock, or product that is part of an operation.

|_| I agree to submit applicable fees charged according to the fee schedule by the certifier.

|_| I/We affirm that all information in this application/OSP is true and accurate to the best of my/our knowledge.

______________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Applicant/Authorized Representative			Date

*Submit completed forms, fees and supporting documents to your certifier.*

## Land Requirements	7 C.F.R. §§ 205.103, 205.202

This form describes a farm or production location for organic crop and/or livestock production and allows accompanying documentation to establish its eligibility for organic certification. Submit one copy of this Land Requirements form for **each** farm location (not for individual fields) that is non-adjacent to your other farmland or production locations, and/or has distinct land use history (different date of last prohibited materials use or different prior land manager, etc.).

|_| This Land Requirements form describes all the land in my organic operation.  

|_| Additional copies of this form are attached and describe other land within my operation.

## Natural Resource Management    	7 C.F.R. §§ 205.2, 205.200, 205.203, 205.239, 205.240

Key regulations related to natural resource management:

**§ 205.2 Definitions:**

*Organic production.*A production system that is managed in accordance with the Act and regulations in this part to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.

*Natural resources of the operation.*The physical, hydrological, and biological features of a production operation, including soil, water, wetlands, woodlands, and wildlife.

**§ 205.200:** Production practices implemented in accordance with this subpart must maintain or improve the natural resources of the operation, including soil and water quality.

**§ 205.203(a):** The producer must select and implement tillage and cultivation practices that maintain or improve the physical, chemical, and biological condition of soil and minimize soil erosion.

**§ 205.203(c):** The producer must manage plant and animal materials to maintain or improve soil organic matter content in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, pathogenic organisms, heavy metals, or residues of prohibited substances.

**§ 205.239(e):** The producer of an organic livestock operation must manage manure in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, heavy metals, or pathogenic organisms and optimizes recycling of nutrients and must manage pastures and other outdoor access areas in a manner that does not put soil or water quality at risk.

**§ 205.240(c)(8):** The pasture plan shall include a description of the erosion control and protection of natural wetlands and riparian areas practices.

Organic standards specifically address soil (conservation and health) and water (conservation and quality; contamination prevention). As quoted above, the standards also include a general requirement to maintain or improve natural resources (soil, water, wetlands, woodlands and wildlife) by integrating cultural, biological and mechanical practices to foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity. Organic production practices must maintain or improve their natural resources.

While natural resource management is a core organic standard, producer strategies will be specific to each site and type of production. Each operation’s practices are adapted to the features of the land and local conditions, especially related to: soil (soil types, slope, risks of erosion, and overall health); water (position in the watershed, presence of water courses and riparian areas, and water usage); and wetlands, woodlands and wildlife (ecosystem type, biological diversity and habitat on and around the farm). 

Organic farming practices can conserve soil, increase soil health, protect water and contribute to biological diversity within—and often beyond—its boundaries. On-farm practices may include: soil building to increase organic matter, humus, biological activity and diversity of soil organisms; inclusion of flowering plants, habitat or shelter for pollinators, insects, other arthropods, spiders, bats, raptors and other predators; control of specific non-native invasive species; establishment of grassed waterways or hedgerows to check erosion and foster habitat; watershed protection; habitat restoration; or efforts to promote wildlife migration corridors or conservation. 

Update changes:  Signature _________________________________	Date _____________

OSP Template – Organic Production (Rev. 2015)		Page **1** of **8**

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