USDA-accredited certifying agents are authorized to certify operations to the USDA organic standards. Most certifying agents are directly accredited by the USDA National Organic Program (NOP). Others are authorized through recognition agreements between the U.S. and foreign governments.
Each of these certifying agents is authorized to issue an organic certificate to operations that comply with the USDA organic regulations. When selecting a certifying agent, you may wish to consider the following criteria:
- Fee structure.
- Distance to your farm or business.
- List of certifying agents approved to issue TM-11 for exports to Taiwan and Japan
To help you find a certifying agent, the Organic INTEGRITY Database (INTEGRITY) has an Organic Certifier Locator. The Organic Certifier Locator is updated regularly by the National Organic Program and its accredited certifying agents. As part of the database, it provides the most accurate information about accredited certifying agents.
Once you click the “Locator” button, INTEGRITY opens the “Certifier Locator” feature. There, you can use the drop down menus and search field to find one or more certifiers. You can use the navigation buttons at the bottom of the page to move through the list or export search results to an Excel spreadsheet. For questions regarding the database, click the Contact Us link shown on top right of the page; otherwise, please contact individual certifying agents for more information.
Additional Resources
- How to change certifying agents (pdf)
- Become an Accredited Certifier
- Training
- Road to Organic Certification
- Program Handbook
- Subscribe to the Organic Insider