OCIA International
Why Choose OCIA-Certified Organic?
As one of the world's leading organic certification agencies, OCIA International requires that its producers and processors strictly adhere to organic standards. These standards ensure that:
-No chemicals or non-natural fertilizers have been applied to fields, pastures, orchards, or vineyards for three years prior to harvest.
-Operations have been annually inspected by an independent inspector and are subject to unannounced verification inspections at any time.
-Detailed records of each operation's practices and processes have been kept and submitted to OCIA International for an annual certification review.
-OCIA International is independently accredited to a number of industries and government bodies in the United States and internationally.
Why Choose Organic Agriculture?
Organic agriculture is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
-Soil is enriched with compost, green manure and organic amendments.
-Weeds, pests and disease are controlled through crop rotation, carefully timed mechanical and manual intervention, beneficial insects and the selective use of natural, non-chemical pesticides.
-Livestock are provided quality living environments and are raised without hormones, or antibiotics.
Through environmentally sound practices, organic producers and processors strive to sustain the health of the earth while providing quality food for those who inhabit it.
Canada Organic
ORGANIC production is a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
The 'Canada Organic' label — is your assurance that the product bearing it has met the Canadian government's regulatory requirements for organic products.
Organic production prohibits the use of:
-Chemical pesticides
-Antibiotics 1
-Synthetic hormones
-Genetic engineering and other excluded practices
-Sewage sludge
-Cloning animals or using their products
-Excess processing of foods, artificial ingredients, preservatives, or irradiation
However, what is more important is what organic agriculture does do for the health of the soil, the environment and everyone in it. Organic farmers cultivate their soil's fertility and produce healthy food by:
-Rotating their crops to balance nutrients in the soil, as well as discourage pests
-Composting and using "green" manures to add nitrogen and organic matter to the soil, keep weeds down and prevent drought and soil erosion.
-Using beneficial insects or mechanical and manual methods to control pests and weeds
These methods help to promote essential soil micro-biology, wildlife diversity, prevent pest outbreaks, protect soil from erosion, prevent contamination of water, and use far less energy than conventional farming methods.
1. Antibiotics are allowed only in extreme cases when necessary to save an animals life. In these instances, which are carefully documented, the meat can never be sold as organic, and the milk from a dairy cow must be discarded for a minimum of 30 days, and possibly longer.
