We hope you have had a chance to review CCOF’s Strengthening Organic Enforcement Overview! If not, please do and reach out to us with questions. There are a host of changes in SOE, and all businesses in the organic supply chain should become familiar with the new regulations. Our certified clients will see calls to action on their compliance documents soon, but there is one area of the rule you can start working on now.
SOE has increased the number of operations that need to seek certification. Uncertified operations who are buying, selling, or facilitating the sale of organic products should evaluate if they are affected. Certified clients should also inspect their supply chain for uncertified suppliers, storage facilities, and other handlers and encourage them to review CCOF’s resources. Affected operations in your supply chain must be certified by March 19, 2024, for you to continue working with them.
CCOF is well prepared to help the organic industry comply and seamlessly continue production after March 19, 2024. The sooner affected operations submit their applications, the smoother this transition will be. We are offering the following fee reductions to operations who prioritize applying in 2023.
- Between April 1 and June 30, 2023, the application fee will be $100.
- Between July 1 and September 30, 2023, the application fee will be $150.
- Between October 1 and December 31, 2023, the application fee will be $200.
Keep in mind, it takes a new applicant roughly three months to gain certification using CCOF’s normal review timelines, but this timeline may extend if a wave of applications are submitted just before the March 19 deadline. Encourage your supply chain to learn more and act now!
Our applicant support team looks forward to supporting your network. We are available at getcertified@ccof.org or by calling our main line (831) 423-2263, ext. 1.