Organic Tree Fruit Production Certification: PSU Experience

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Organic Tree Fruit Production CertificationPSU
Experience

• James W. Travis, Prof. Plant Pathology
• Noemi O. Halbrendt, Research Associate
• Penn State Fruit Research Extension Center
• Organic Apple Demonstration Orchard
• Biglerville, PA 17503
• Orchard Planted May 3, 2004
• Application Reqts. Submitted April 14, 2006
• Inspected June 14, 2006
• PCO Organic Certification Granted 10 July 2006

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1. Organic System Plan (OSP) General
Information 2. OSP for Crops Tree Fruits
What Are The Requirements ?
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Organic System Plan (OSP) for Crops/Fruit Trees
General Information

• General Information - Orchard name, address,
  orchard map including surrounding fields ID
• Prior Land Use Statement - date when the last
  applic. of prohibited synthetic materials was
  applied
• Verification of adjoining land use - Map
  including surrounding/neighbor's fields/orchards
  ID /description
• - Use only NOP/OMRI/PCO approved materials
• - Signed by grower and neighbor

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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree FruitsTo be
Verified by Inspector

• Description of cultural / pest control mgt.
  practices to be performed and maintained,
  including frequency
• List of each substance/ materials to be used as
  production input composition, source, manufac./
  distributor address, storage location (List)
• Description of mgt. practices and physical
  barriers - to prevent co-mingling of organic and
  non-organic products on a split operation /
  prevent contact of organic production/ handling
  operations / products w/ prohibited substances

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Organic System Plan for Crops/Fruit Trees

• Orchard / Field Records for the past 3 years
• List of inputs used from Y1 (2004 growing
  season)- Y3(2006) of organic transition,
  including each field under applicants management

Grower Name______________ Orchard/ Field
Records

• O organic T transition/conversion to
  organic Nnon-organic
• T fields being managed in accor. w/ organic
  standards but have not
• yet met the standards for 36 months w/out
  use of prohibited materials

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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Materials used in the last 36 mo. and materials
  to be used in the next 12 mo. (fertilizers, soil
  amendments, pesticides)

Materials Used in Organic System
Very Important - Keep ALL receipts of purchased
or donated materials!
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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Soil fertility Crop Nutrient Mgt.
• Soil test analysis
• Tillage/cultivation practices
• Compost use may be used following standard
  composting method, i.e. proper temp.
• Ash from manure burning may not be allowed
• Pot. Chloride unless derived fro a mined source
• Sodium nitrate unless restricted to no gt 20
  crops total N reqt.
• Must not use Biosolids (sewage sludge)

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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Seed / Planting Material
• Non-organically prod. planting stock - may be
  labeled as organically product - only after the
  planting stock has been maintained under a system
  of organic mgt. for a period of more than year
• GMO seeds / inoculants are prohibited

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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Crop Rotation
• N/A on Tree fruits

• Pest Management Plan
• Problem pest and dis. strategies for control
• Sanitation, scouting, biocontrol, non-synthetic
  control

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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Weed Management Plan
• List of weed problem strategies for control
  mech. weed cutting, use of flame, acetic acid

• Water Source Irrigation
• Type and source of water

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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Maintenance of Organic Integrity
• Adjoining Land Use
• Type of buffer grass strip
• Field map
• Posted signs
• Adjoining land use agreement

• Prevention of Contact w/ Prohibited Substances
• Proper storage

• Equipment
• Equipment must not contaminate (fuel, oil) field
  or organic crop
• Equipment used for both organic and nonorganic
  must be cleaned prior to organic use

Note Document sprayer cleaning schedule
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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Maintenance of Organic Integrity
• Harvest
• Containers, bins, packing materials used for
  harvesting, packing or storage of organic crops
  must not contain synthetic fung., preservatives
  or fumigants
• Reusable containers must be thoroughly cleaned

• Storage
• Organic and nonorganic crops must be separated to
  prevent contamination
• Label storage boxes
• Assigned designated area for organic crop
• Clean storage area prior to storage of organic
  crops

Note Document storage cleaning schedule/prog.
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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Maintenance of Organic Integrity
• Transportation
• Steps to protect integrity of organic products
  during transport inspect / clean transport
  unit prior to loading

Note Document transport cleaning schedule/prog.
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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Record Keeping System
• Field Maps
• Field Activity
• Field Records - prev. 3 years
• Doc. of previous land use
• Input records - Labels receipts of purchase /
  donations
• Compost production records

Note This was not included in the OSP
requirement list But, required
by Inspector
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Organic System Plan Crops / Tree Fruits

• Record Keeping System
• Monitoring records - soil test, water test,
  observational
• Equipment cleaning records
• Harvest records - field s, date of harvest,
  harvest amount
• Labor records
• Storage records - amount stored, cleaning
  activities/scheds.
• Transport cleaning records
• Sales records

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Other ???

• Trellis system
• New orchard untreated post, metal,
• Transition orchard paint existing post w/ latex
  paint
• Buffer / grass strips
• Non-organic grass seeds allowed for renovation