Organic Contract Inspector Opportunity:
Who we are: CCOF advances organic agriculture for a healthy world. We advocate on behalf of our members for organic policies, support the growth of organic through education and grants, and provide organic certification that is personal and accessible.
CCOF is a nonprofit organization governed by the people who grow and make our food. Founded in California over 50 years ago, today our roots span the breadth of North America, and our presence is internationally recognized. We are supported by an organic family of farmers, ranchers, processors, retailers, consumers, and policymakers. Together, we work to realize a future where organic is the norm.
Description: Organic Contract Inspectors inspect farms and food processors outside the State of California and assess compliance with the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) standards. Inspections include making observations, conducting interviews, auditing records, taking samples, and writing detailed reports for CCOF to determine if an operation complies with the NOP.
Resources: Organic Contractor Inspectors work out of their home office and must have their own computer, internet access, and the ability to take photos. A smartphone and tablet are recommended. Organic Contractor Inspectors must travel in their own vehicle and make other travel arrangements as required to inspect certified organic operations.
Qualifications, Skills, and Experience:
Organic Contract Inspectors must meet the qualifications described below in one or more of three categories: farming, food processing, and/or livestock.
- Strong communication and people skills
- Attention to detail and commitment to submitting reports on time
- Ability to build relationships and work with a diversity of people and operations
- At least 2,000 hours of experience in agriculture field work, food, or personal care product production, and/or livestock management. The 2,000 hours may be from a range of agricultural or processing activities. Farm inspectors may have academic or in-field research (must involve time in the field and a demonstrated familiarity with farming practices and equipment), knowledge of crop cycles, soil fertility, and pest management. Processing inspectors must be familiar with food processing technologies, facilities, SOPs, trace-backs, product recall concepts and other auditing capacities. Livestock inspectors must have work experience managing livestock
- Familiarity with the USDA National Organic Program
- Completion of the IOIA Basic Inspection Course(s), in the applicable scopes of Crops, Processing and/or Livestock, or a comparable training program
- A bachelor’s degree in a related field is preferred; negotiable depending on experience
- Excellent communication and writing skills
- Competency using Microsoft outlook, word, excel, and Adobe Acrobat
Responsibilities:
- Schedule organic inspections (site visits) with CCOF clients
- Meet with clients to inspect farms and facilities
- Make observations
- Conduct interviews
- Audit farming and production records
- Submit samples of organic products for laboratory analysis
- Write timely, detailed, and objective reports for CCOF to determine if an operation is compliant with USDA National Organic Program standards
Payment: CCOF takes pride in offering competitive pay. US-based starting pay range is $40-$60/hour. Payment is based on qualifications, experience, and quality of deliverables. Travel time pay range is $25-$35/hour. Travel expenses are reimbursed, including vehicle mileage at IRS rate.