fees

We work hard to provide all CCOF certified clients with cost effective and timely service. The vast majority of CCOF operations meet organic standards. In rare cases, operations and CCOF are able to address serious compliance issues through formal and informal mediation and settlement agreements that require ongoing monitoring, regular reporting, and/or additional inspections. These efforts place significant strain on resources and impact our ability to meet the needs of other clients, the vast majority of whom are generally in compliance.

Every year certified operations are required to submit an annual certification renewal contract and pay certification fees for the next year. In early November, we will mail your renewal package—the contract and invoice—and send you an email with your renewal information as well.

To complete the renewal process and remain certified in good standing, complete your renewal contract and pay your annual certification fees by January 1, 2016.

To keep up with service needs and rising costs, and to create a more regular pattern of smaller increases to fees, we are adjusting both certification fees and inspection fees for 2016 and fine-tuning the CCOF fee schedule to include more tiers.

Cada año, usted está obligado a presentar el contrato anual de continuación de certificación y pagar su cuota de certificación. A principios de noviembre, le enviaremos el paquete que incluye el contrato y la factura.

Every year, you are required to submit the annual Continuation of Certification contract and pay your certification fee. In early November, we will mail your renewal package—including the contract and invoice—and email you all the necessary information.

Many CCOF operations are enrolled in a program they do not need. CCOF is saving 600+ operations $125 each during the 2015 renewal by processing this withdrawal internally.

Why? After reviewing our records we discovered that 600+ CCOF growers have not withdrawn from the US/EU Equivalency status under CCOF’s Global Market Access program, even though they no longer require the program. The historic US/EU Equivalency Arrangement, that CCOF worked directly to help achieve, requires that you enroll only if you:

After several years with no changes, we are modifying our inspection fees to keep up with rising costs and ensure excellent service. Effective January 1, inspection fees are $65 per hour for preparation, inspection, and report writing time. Travel time will be billed at $44 per hour. These increases are intended to be modest and to minimally affect the majority of CCOF operations. At the same time, we are implementing a new inspection report writing system to drive new efficiencies so you experience better service from CCOF as a whole, including lower costs and better inspections.

We have made some substantial changes to our Certification Services Program Manual.

These changes affect all CCOF clients, and you will be asked on your 2014 Continuation of Certification Contract (renewal contract) to verify that you agree to the policies described in this manual. In brief, the changes include: