Farmers Work Toward Organic Practices to Ensure Consumers’ Trust

What NSF’s QAI Transitional Certification Means for Farmers

1. 1

   Showing Farmers the Money

   QAI transitional certification incentivizes farmers as they transition their land from conventional to organic growing methods. With the QAI Certified Transitional program, farmers, processors, distributors and retailers can ask for a price premium for certified transitional products as they support the expansion of organic acreage to match consumer demand.

2. 2

   Get Smart From the Start

   NSF’s QAI team inspects and reviews records to provide transitional certification at every stage of the supply chain, including shipping, distribution and packaging. But it all starts with farming and harvesting. To improve soil quality, a core tenet of organic certification, QAI verifies that farmers have not applied prohibited substances for at least three years before their crops can be labeled as organic. The QAI program also encourages farmers to rotate crops to improve soil fertility, increase yield and resist disease. On top of that, harvesting and processing equipment must be cleaned and sanitized by the USDA’s NOP requirements.

3. 3

   Farmers Market Growth

   Demand for certified organic products has outpaced supply, causing companies to not fill orders or import foreign organic ingredients to fulfill demand. Additionally, transitioning farmland to organic is costly, with limited return on investment, since it takes three years to become eligible for organic certification. These barriers have been hindered by the growth of organic farm acreage, which is only about 1% of U.S. farmland, despite double-digit annual organic revenue growth. QAI’s program helps offset these barriers by facilitating the transition of farmland to organic, allowing for premium pricing for the higher-value crop, which enables consumers to support the conversion of more organic acreage.

4. 4

   Provides a Proof Point

   The certificate provides proof for food companies, which can use the on-package QAI Certified Transitional logo to guide consumers to these products.

5. 5

   Creates Goodwill

   When farmers and consumers support the organic industry, they help the environment by reducing the use of synthetic chemicals. Chemicals used in conventional food production often leach back into the surrounding environment. By using more natural practices, organic production protects wildlife, promotes biodiversity, and helps to maintain and improve native ecosystems.

6. 6

   Teaching Consumers

   • No toxic or synthetic pesticides are used in farming.
   • No antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones are used in the raising of cattle, pork or poultry.
   • No genetically modified ingredients are included in the product.
   • No prohibited substances. Sewage sludge, irradiation, GMOs and other National Organic Program-prohibited substances are not permitted on certified transitional land or product.
   • Organic training. Producers and manufacturers are required to complete educational courses to demonstrate competency in organic regulations.
   • Accountability. Farms and manufacturing facilities are subject to annual inspections and may be selected for unannounced inspections and sampling
   • Due diligence. Records demonstrating compliance with the applicable elements of organic regulations must be created and maintained from the start of the program, including compliance plans, land use, soil fertility, seeds and planting stock, crop rotation, pest/disease control, and any inputs or ingredients used.
   • Approved labeling. The product can display certain claims on the packaging, depending on the percentage of transitional ingredients. Products with at least 51% transitional ingredients can display the Certified Transitional mark.