WAC 16-157-215   General requirements for certification.  (1) Except for operations exempt or excluded in the National Organic Program (7 CFR 205.101), each production or handling operation or specified portion of a production or handling operation must be certified if it produces or handles crops, livestock, livestock products, or other agricultural products intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as "one hundred percent organic," "organic," or "made with organic (specified ingredients or food group(s))."

     (a) If you have an operation that meets the definition of "production operation," you must be certified as a producer.

     (b) If you have an operation that meets the definition of "handling operation," you must be certified as a handler or processor unless you are a certified producer who cleans, washes, grades, dries, packages, transports, or does similar preparation of your own production.

     (c) If you are a certified producer who changes crops, wild crops, or livestock products of your own production into new distinct products by physically, chemically, or otherwise changing the original product, you must also be certified as a processor.

     (2) If you are seeking to receive or maintain organic certification, you must submit an application on forms approved by the department.

     (a) Application forms must be signed by an authorized representative of the business operation and must be accompanied by the appropriate fees in order to be considered.

     (b) Application forms are available upon request from the department.

     (3) If you are a new applicant, you must include a complete organic system plan with your application.

     (4) If you are a certified operation, you must submit an update to your organic system plan on an annual basis. Certified operations may be required by the department to submit a new complete organic system plan whenever there are significant changes to the operation.

     (5) Applications for certification must include a list of all organic products produced and/or handled, including sample labels and complete product profiles for each distinctly labeled organic product.

     (a) Certified operations must not use an organic label or make organic claims for any product not included in the operation's organic system plan.

     (b) Certified operations may add new products to their organic certification by submitting sample labels and complete product profiles to the department where applicable.

     (c) Product profiles must include a complete list of ingredients in the product and processing aids used in manufacturing the product.

     (6) Certified operations that do not submit a renewal application and fees to continue certification or do not comply annually with 7 CFR 205.406 may have their certification suspended.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 15.86.060 and 15.86.070. 06-23-108, § 16-157-215, filed 11/17/06, effective 12/18/06.]