Hawaii association picked
to certify organic farmers

Isle group verifies that products
meet federal organic standards

---

By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.com

The Hawaii Organic Farmers Association has received federal accreditation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, allowing it to certify that products from the state's organic farmers, ranchers and processors meet federal organic foods standards.

The designation is important because the Federal Organic Rule, passed by Congress in December 2000 takes effect Oct. 22. After that time, any product sold as organic must be certified in compliance with federal standards.

The seller of the product must be able to provide documentation that the product was certified by a USDA-accredited organic certifying agency. Fines for misrepresentation could range up to $10,000 per occurrence.

A total of 97 applicants nationwide applied for accreditation as a certifying agency. Only 42, including the Hawaii organization, were approved by the USDA.

Kimberly Clark, of Just Add Water organic farm in Waimanalo, is a founding member of the Hawaii Organic Farmers Association and one of its trustees. Clark said even though the local organization has been in existence since around 1993 and has had trained inspectors since 1995, the federal designation is important.

"It's recognition. States and foreign countries take your particular standards more seriously when you are accredited," she said. "They can look at your country's standards. It's important to have a benchmark of quality that people have to follow."

The association believes the accreditation has the potential to open new doors for their products, because the USDA has developed reciprocal agreements with the European Union, Japan and a number of other countries. Any product that is certified as organic will be accepted in those markets as organic.

Clark said most of Hawaii's organic growers operate on a small scale and produce mostly for the local market. Growers who sell less than $5,000 of products a year would be exempt from the federal rules, she said.

But there are some larger growers, she said.

"There are people who ship to Canada and Europe and have been certified for a while," she said.

The fact that organic produce is recognized as a separate commodity and is recognized by the USDA will also help making it easier to work with government, she said.

In addition, federal funding to assist in certification can further expand the industry. Currently, there are about 66 certified producers in Hawaii, although organic farmers association membership numbers around 300 individuals and businesses.

The new federal standards bar practices such as irradiation of produce, use of genetically engineered crops and use of sewage sludge as fertilizer. The standards also require that the use of manure be regulated in compliance with human health standards.

Organic farms must also allow at least a three year transition period from the last use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides prohibited under the federal organic standards.