USDA Organic
There are many myths about the process to become certified – QCS wants to show you just how straightforward organic certification can be!
Get the USDA Organic Label on your Products
1. Create and submit an Organic System Plan
2. Initial review
3. On-site inspection
4. Final review
5. Annual renewal
View this 5-Steps to Certification document for more details. Click here for Espanol. You can also view our “Are You Ready for Inspection?” information sheet.
The three main scopes for USDA organic certification are Crops (including wild harvesting and wild cropping systems), Livestock (including avian, ruminant, ungulate, swine, and apiaries), and Handling (including manufacturing, processing, import, export, and much more).
USDA organic certification is a practice-based standard so if you’re not sure what scope your operation needs, our Client Services Team is here to help! Aquatic livestock (fin fish, crustaceans, mussels, etc) and hemp with >0.3% THC content are not eligible for USDA organic certification.
The certification process generally takes 90 to 120 working days from the date we receive your complete application with fees. Depending on our administrative capacity, QCS may be able to provide expedited services for an additional fee. See our Expedited Service Request for details and reach out to our Client Services Team for more information about expedited service.
The annual cost of certification depends on the complexity and scale of your operation. All operations will pay an annual certification fee (based on the annual gross sales of organic product) and an on-site inspection cost (based on the location, complexity, and scale of your operation).
Additional add-on services are also available. Please contact QCS for an explanation of our fee structure and to get an estimate of the cost of certification. We’re always happy to walk you through our offerings based on the needs of your operation.
We offer certification to these international equivalency arrangements:
- US-Canada Equivalency Arrangement
- US-EU Equivalency Arrangement
- US-Japan Organic Equivalency Arrangement
- US-Taiwan Organic Equivalency Arrangement
- US-Switzerland Organic Equivalency Arrangement
- US-Korea Organic Equivalency Arrangement
- US-UK Organic Equivalency Arrangement
- Bio Suisse Compliance
Ready to Apply? Let’s Get Started!
If you’re prepared to begin your organic certification journey, we’ve made it easy to get started. Below you’ll find direct links to our application forms, tailored to different certification scopes.
What to expect:
- Quick access to the forms and resources you need
- Clear instructions to guide you through the application process
- Support available if you have questions along the way
Whether you’re a farm, processor, handler, or importer, we’re here to help you take the next step toward certification.
Need help deciding which application is right for you?
Schedule a free call or contact us at qcs@qcsinfo.org or (352) 377-0133.
Certification Resources
Spanish Documents
- National Organic Program Regulations, Section 7 Part 205
- Learn more about the National Organic Program (NOP)
- Register for free online USDA organic courses through Organic Integrity Learning Center (OILC)
- Find certified operations on the Organic Integrity Database (OID)
- Find Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI) approved inputs
- Assistance for organic farms through Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
- Organic farming resources from ATTRA