Organic Path microsite

This project was funded through the New Opportunities and Business Development Investment Initiative (NOBDI) under the Renewal Chapter of the Canada-Nova Scotia Agricultural Policy Framework Agreement.

Canada

Nova Scotia

Preparing for first inspection

I really enjoyed being inspected. I gained a lot from the process… It was a learning experience. It brought attention to things I should be looking at. For a few of the questions I was asked, I thought “why haven’t I been doing this?”… And I ended up changing some of my practices as a result, both in farmwork and paperwork.

Rowena Hopkins
Amarosia Organic Garden, NB

Your first organic inspection comes after you have applied to a certifying body (CB). Often, you will have already completed a detailed application describing your operation, including the amount and types of crops grown, all of the inputs used, etc. If you pass the initial review of your file, the certifying body will arrange to send an independent inspector to your farm. The inspector acts as the “eyes and ears” of the CB and will tour your property (including fields and areas where products, inputs and records are kept).

Throughout the process, the inspector will ask many questions, take photographs and record many details. The inspector then sends a detailed report to the CB, which then makes the decision as to whether the farm has or has not passed inspection. Often, based on the inspection report, the CB will also provide recommendations (or even requirements) for changes to be made within the following year.

Preparing for an organic inspection:

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