7 CFR § 205.404 - Granting certification.

§ 205.404 Granting certification.

(a) Within a reasonable time after completion of the initial on-site inspection, a certifying agent must review the on-site inspection report, the results of any analyses for substances conducted, and any additional information requested from or supplied by the applicant. If the certifying agent determines that the organic system plan and all procedures and activities of the applicant's operation are in compliance with the requirements of this part and that the applicant is able to conduct operations in accordance with the plan, the agent shall grant certification. The certification may include requirements for the correction of minor noncompliances within a specified time period as a condition of continued certification.

(b) The certifying agent must issue a certificate of organic operation. The certificate of organic operation must be generated from the Organic Integrity Database and may be provided to certified operations electronically.

(c) In addition to the certificate of organic operation provided for in paragraph (b) of this section, a certifying agent may issue its own addenda to the certificate of organic operation. If issued, any addenda must include:

(1) Name, address, and contact information for the certified operation;

(2) The certified operation's unique ID number/code that corresponds to the certified operation's ID number/code in the Organic Integrity Database;

(3) A link to the Organic Integrity Database or a link to the certified operation's profile in the Organic Integrity Database, along with a statement, “You may verify the certification of this operation at the Organic Integrity Database,” or a similar statement;

(4) Name, address, and contact information of the certifying agent; and

(5) “Addendum issue date.”

(d) Once certified, a production or handling operation's organic certification continues in effect until surrendered by the organic operation or suspended or revoked by the certifying agent, the State organic program's governing State official, or the Administrator.

[65 FR 80637, Dec. 21, 2000, as amended of 88 FR 3623, Jan. 19, 2023]