Other Program Requirements

According to the NOP final rule published 11/8/12, certifying agents now are required to conduct annual Periodic Residue Testing of the operations they certify. RIDEM must test samples from at least 1 certified operation annually based on the current total number of RIDEM-certified organic operations. Please be aware that all operators should expect that residue testing may occur at their operation under this program. Links to the amended NOP Standard 205.670 requiring Periodic Residue Testing as well as other related information from NOP are at the bottom of the web page NOP Organic Standards.

According to the NOP 2609 Instruction issued 9/12/12, certifying agents now are required to conduct Unannounced Inspections of the operations they certify. RIDEM must conduct at least 1 unannounced inspection of a RIDEM-certified organic operation annually based on the current total number of RIDEM-certified operations. Please be aware that all operators should expect that an unannounced inspection may occur at their operation under this program. Additional information on Unannounced Inspections is available in NOP 2609 Instruction in the NOP Program Handbook

No additional fees are to be charged by the RIDEM Organic Certification Program for Periodic Residue Testing or Unannounced Inspections related to Organic Certification.

• National Organic Program
• Organic Materials Review Institute
• Organic Seed Finder
• FDA-Ingredients, Packaging & Labeling
• FDA-Labeling & Nutrition Guidance Documents & Regulatory Information
• USDA Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) Requirements
• RI DOH Office of Food Protection
• ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
• NOFA/RI - Northeast Organic Farming Association of Rhode Island
• USDA NRCS Rhode Island
• eOrganic - Organic Agriculture Extension Resources
• Farm Fresh Rhode Island (locally grown food, markets and events)
• Northeast Organic Network
• Organic Trade Association
• Rodale Institute
• URI Plant Protection Clinic
• UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis
• UMaine Analytical Lab & Soil Testing
• UMass Soil & Plant Tissue Testing
• Cornell Nutrient Analysis & Soil Testing
• UNH Soil Testing
• UVM Soil Testing