Home / Application

Get Started!

Welcome to the application for Real Organic Project certification, we're glad you're here.

The application, along with Real Organic Project's entire certification process, is available at no-cost to farmers. Please email any questions to certifications@realorganicproject.org.

Download A Paper Application

Save my progress and resume later | Resume a previously saved form

Resume Later

In order to be able to resume this form later, please enter your email and choose a password.

Your Email:

A Password:

Confirm Password:

Password must contain the following:

12 Characters
1 Uppercase letter
1 Lowercase letter
1 Number
1 Special character

Farm Name:

Primary Contact Details

First Name

Last Name

Phone

Farm Role:

What is your preferred method of contact?

PhoneEmailMail Only

Other Farm Contact Details

First Name

Last Name

Phone

Farm Role:

What is your preferred method of contact?

PhoneEmailMail Only

NEW Do you want us to use a different email for the farm than the primary contact's email?

YesNo

NEW What email would you like to use for correspondence such as certificate and various certification announcements?

NEW Do you want us to use a different phone number for the farm than the primary contact's number?

YesNo

NEW What number would you like to use for correspondence such as certification questions?

Is your mailing address the same as your physical address?

YesNo

Mailing Address

Country

Address Line 1

City

State

Provinces

State/Province

Postal Code

Physical Address

Country

Address Line 1

City

State

Provinces

State/Province

Postal Code

Does your farm have more than one property?

YesNo

Please add additional physical addresses below

Country

Address Line 1

City

State

Provinces

State/Province

Postal Code

NEW Do you need an off-road/ 4x4 vehicle to get to your farm or fields?

YesNo

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

Prefill

Account ID

Engagement ID

Program Season

Page 2

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

What type of application are you filling out?

NewRenewal (Currently Real Organic Project Certified)

Do you have any new categories of production on your farm this year?

YesNo

Please describe your new areas of production this year; this includes both certified and non-certified organic production.

Did you cease any categories of production on your farm this year?

YesNo

Please describe the areas of production you are no longer doing this year.

Real Organic Project operates as an add-on label to certified organic.

We only certify farms that are already certified organic.

*You're welcome to apply if you are actively pursuing USDA NOP certification and plan to have the certificate granted during our inspection season (June-October).

Is your farm USDA Organic Certified?

YesNoIn the Process

In how many years do you expect to be certified?

Do you have any of the following on your farm?

Parallel Production (selling both certified organic and non-certified products within the same category.)Earn over 49% of Your Gross Income by Selling Non-USDA Organic Certified ProductsSystemic Confinement of Livestock, defined as either being confined indoors or in outdoor environments where they cannot express their natural behaviorsHydroponic Production or Greater than 1% of Sales coming from Container Grown CropsUse of Prohibitive Substances or Excluded Methods as defined by the National Organic Program in any area of productionNone of the Above

Please explain the situation of parallel production

Real Organic Project operates as an add-on label to certified organic.

We only certify farms that are already certified organic.

Who is your USDA Organic certifier?

Is your organic certification current?

YesNoIf you are in the process of getting certified please answer "Yes"

Search for your NOP ID # here. You can type in either your farm name or City and State. The 10 digit number before your farm name is your NOP ID#
Please copy and paste this number into the response box for "What is your 10 digit NOP ID #?"

What is your 10 digit NOP ID #?

If you need assistance, or the question is not accepting your response, please Save and Resume this form and reach out to our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org.
If you're in the process of becoming USDA certified, please enter your phone number as your NOP ID #

Do you have more than one NOP ID?

YesNo

What is your other 10 digit NOP ID #?

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

Certified Organic Production

Acres

Total acreage of farm's land base;
Please include certified and non-certified acres

Total acreage of farm's land base that is certified organic

Total number of certified organic acres under active cultivation
This includes pasture and cover cropped acres

Approximate number of certified organic acres in pasture

Please check the box(s) of certified organic production categories on your farm

Cattle for Dairy	Cattle for Meat
Cut Flowers	Dry Beans
Goats	Grain
Greenhouse/High Tunnel Crops	Hay/Forage
Hemp	Microgreens
Mixed Vegetables/Annual Fruit/Herbs	Mushrooms
Ornamental/Bedding Plants	Other
Pasture	Perennial Fruit
Pigs	Poultry for Eggs
Poultry for Meat	Seeds
Sheep	Transplants
Tree Nuts

Please describe your certified "other" production.
If you have more than one production "other" category please click "Add another response"

Does your farm have any non-certified organic production?

YesNoNote: this includes production that is organically managed, but is not certified organic.

Is your non-certified organic production exclusively for home/family use

YesNo

Split Farms

Are any of these acres transitioning to certified organic?

YesNo

How many acres of non-certified production does your farm have?

How many acres are being transitioned to certified organic?

Is all of this production happening on acreage that will be certified organic in 3 years?

YesNo

In how many years will all transitional land be certified organic?

Please check the box to indicate the non-certified organic production categories on your farm (only list products you grow on your farm)

Cattle for Dairy	Cattle for Meat
Cut flowers	Dry Beans
Goats	Grain
Greenhouse/High Tunnel Crops	Hay/Forage
Hemp	Microgreens
Mixed Vegetables/Annual Fruit/Herbs	Mushrooms
Ornamental/Bedding Plants	Other
Pasture	Perennial Fruit
Pigs	Poultry for Eggs
Poultry for Meat	Seeds
Sheep	Transplants
Tree Nuts

To avoid label confusion, are all non-organically certified products clearly identified as "not certified organic" at point of sale?

YesNo

Beef

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Beef production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Beef

Dairy

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Dairy production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Dairy

Dry Beans

Does your non-certified Dry Bean production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Dry Beans

Goats

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Goat production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Goats

Grain

Does your non-certified Grain production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Grain

Greenhouse/High Tunnel Crops

Does your non-certified Greenhouse/High Tunnel production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Greenhouse/High Tunnel crops

Hay/Forage

Does your non-certified Hay/Forage production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Hay/Forage

Hemp

Does your non-certified Hemp production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Hemp

Microgreens

Does your non-certified Microgreens production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Microgreens

Mixed Vegetables/Annual Fruit/Herbs

Does your non-certified Mixed Vegetable/Fruit/Herbs production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Mixed Vegetable/Fruit/Herbs

Mushrooms

Does your non-certified Mushrooms production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Mushrooms

Ornamentals/Cut Flowers

Does your non-certified flower/ornamental/bedding plant production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Are neonicotinoids applied to the seeds, soil, or plants in your non-certified flower/ornamental/bedding plant production at any time?

YesNo

Are non-certified organic flowers/ornamental/bedding plants managed organically while on the farm?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Flowers/Ornamental/Bedding Plants

Other

Please describe your non-certified "other" production.
If you have more than one "other" production category please click "Add another response"

Does your non-certified Other production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Other production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified "other" products.

You do not need to count value added products, or products you do not grow but sell on behalf of someone else.

Pasture

Does your non-certified Pasture production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Pasture

Perennial Fruit

Does your non-certified Perennial Fruit production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Perennial Fruit

Pigs

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Pig production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Pigs

Poultry for Eggs

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Poultry for eggs production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Poultry for eggs

Poultry for Meat

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Poultry for Meat production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Poultry for meat

Seeds

Does your non-certified Seed production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Seeds

Sheep

Do any of the following apply to your non-certified Sheep production?

Systemic confinement of livestockUse of preventative antibiotics of livestockNeither

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Sheep

Transplants

Does your non-certified Transplants production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Transplants

Tree Nuts

Does your non-certified Tree Nuts production require the use of prohibited synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers in crop production or excluded methods as defined by the NOSB?

YesNo

Please list the percent of your farm's gross sales that come from non-certified Tree Nuts

Please explain why this production is not certified organic?

Parallel Production

Please check the box below if you have parallel production; selling both certified organic and non-certified products within the same category. Please Note: buffer strips do not count as parallel production

No parallel production

Vegetables and small fruit (including berries)MicrogreensTree FruitTree NutsHay and PastureTree sap/syrupGrain and PulsesFiber from the same speciesDairy from the same speciesEggs from the same speciesMeat and byproducts from the same species

Please explain the situation of parallel production

NEW Are there any products you do not want Real Organic Project to certify?

YesNo

NEW What are the products, and the reason for NOT certifying any certified organic crops with Real Organic Project

Grown in Ground Standards

Do you use preventative antibiotics in any livestock production, certified or non-certified?

YesNo

Is your livestock raised to certified organic standards but meat sales are non-certified due to lack of access to a USDA certified organic slaughterhouse?

YesNo

NEW What is the reason your livestock is not certified organic?

Do you harvest all crops from plants grown in soil, with no barrier to the subsoil (not including microgreens, mushrooms, starter plants intended for transplant)?

YesNo

Does all of your container production consist of the following: plants intended for transplanting, plants which are not harvested, microgreens, herbs sold to customers in the containers they were grown?

YesNo

Please explain the manner in which crops are harvested from plants not grown in soil connected to the subsoil

Do any of the following apply to crops you are growing to harvest:

Raised in grow bagsRaised in containersCrops grown in raised beds with a bottom; this includes permeable materials like landscaping fabricNone of the Above

What percentage of gross sales come from crops harvested from plants not grown in soil connected to the subsoil?

Please include crops grown in grow bags, containers, and raised beds with a bottom. A "bottom" includes permeable materials like landscaping fabric.

Is any part of your farm hydroponic according to the following definition, "Plants that receive the majority of their fertility through liquid feed"?

YesNo

Please describe the situation. Which plants receive a majority of their feed through liquid nutrition?

Is any part of your farm operation and/or property you own or control considered an AFO/CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation) according to the following definition: An operations where, regardless of size of operation or species of animals, livestock are confined to indoor and/or outdoor environments where they cannot express their natural behavior for the majority of their life cycle

YesNo

Please describe how/when your farm meets the definition of an AFO/CAFO

Do you grow in raised beds?

YesNo

Do any of the following apply to any of your raised beds?

Raised bed has a complete barrier between soil and in-ground production area. This includes hard bottoms, landscaping fabric, grow bags, etc. Bottom of raised bed is open to the soil.Both

Does your farm have any employees?

YesNo

Do your employees consist entirely of immediate family?

YesNo

Have you acquired your land through a land trust, incubator, or non-profit?

YesNo

NEW If you are a land owner, do you lease any of the land you own?

YesNo

NEW Is any of the production on the leased land non-organic production?

YesNo

Does your farm operation share ownership, management, labor, land-base and/or equipment with other distinct operations?

YesNo

Do any of these other operations engage in hydroponic, AFO/CAFO, and/or non-organic production that parallels your organic production or has use of prohibited substances production?

YesNo

NEW Please gives us details about the other operations.

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

Crops

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

Microgreens

Are all certified organic microgreens harvested prior to 21 days?

YesNo

Do you add any liquid fertilizer to your certified organic microgreens?

YesNo

Which of the following lighting situations apply to your microgreen production?

100% Artificial Light100% Natural LightMix of Natural and Artificial Light

Please explain your use of artificial lights, including how often you keep them on and during what times of year you use these lights. Please also describe where the microgreens are grown, and the nature of their natural light source.

What percentage of your farm's gross sales come from certified organic microgreens?

Do you cover crop?

YesNoNA - Only Pasture

On average, how many acres per year have a cover crop growing?

Please round to the nearest acre

Approximately what percentage of all annual cropped ground do you grow cover crops on?

None to under 10% in cover crop at some point in the yearOver 10% in cover crop at some point in the yearOver 25% in cover crop at some point in the yearOver 50% in cover crop at some point in the yearOver 75% in cover crop at some point in the year

Please check off any of the below methods that you utilize to reduce the amount of time soil is left bare

Ground CoverImmediate seedingLeaving crop residueMulchingNone of the above

What is your annual crop rotation?

No rotation planned or used2 year rotation3+ year rotation, includes a legume5+ year rotation, includes a legume7+ year rotation, includes a legume

Do you apply compost and/or manure?

CompostManureBothNeither

For your compost and/or manure do you:

PurchaseMake your ownBoth

Briefly list the type of feedstock/ingredients/additives for the compost/mulch/manure and approximate amounts applied per year:

How much compost and/or manure is applied per acre annually?

Noneless than 1.0 tons of compost applied per acre annually1.0-1.5 tons of compost applied per acre annually1.5-2.0 tons of compost applied per acre annually2+ tons of compost applied per acre annually

Please check which of the following soil conservation practices you use

Keeping soil coveredNo TillStrip tillageShallow tillageAdding compostRotating animalsNone of the above

Does your growing system require the regular use of a pesticide?

YesNo

Please list the pesticide and what pest you're trying to control. Please also list your average application rate and frequency of application for each pesticide.

What best describes your ecological pest management? (EPM)

Grower has no plan or knowledge of EPM and is reliant on (approved) chemical suppression

Minimal use of preventive broad spectrum pesticides. Grower is actively engaging in education and planning for EPM. Grower has a scouting program and set thresholds used to determine the need for spraying. Cultural, biological and mechanical means of pest and disease control have been implemented before introducing chemical interventions. Use of system pesticides is strongly discouraged

Minimal use of preventive broad spectrum pesticides. Demonstrate that the system is not reliant upon routine use of (approved) pesticides and fungicides. These materials are intended as a fallback strategy. If routinely used, a farm can demonstrate that less invasive methods were attempted and not successful. Grower can demonstrate that they have consulted with outside experts on ways to reduce pesticide use. Cultural, biological and mechanical means of pest and disease control have been implemented before introducing chemical interventions. Use of systemic pesticides is strongly discouraged.

No use of preventive broad spectrum pesticides. Demonstrate that the system is not reliant upon routine use of (approved) pesticides and fungicides. These materials are intended as a fallback strategy. If routinely used, a farm can demonstrate that less invasive methods were attempted and not successful. Grower can demonstrate that they have consulted with outside experts on ways to reduce pesticide use. Cultural, biological and mechanical means of pest and disease control have been implemented before introducing chemical interventions. Use of systemic pesticides is not allowed.

No use of broad spectrum pesticides. Grower is actively using an EPM plan, monitoring and record keeping and can show that pest risks are declining. Grower can show downward trend in use of suppression sprays. Cultural, biological and mechanical means of pest and disease control have been implemented before introducing chemical interventions. Use of systemic pesticides is not allowed.

What percent of farm's fertility is sourced entirely off-farm?

Fertility is sourced entirely from off-farmOver 10% of applied annual fertility needs for crops are sourced on farmOver 30% of applied annual fertility needs for crops are sourced on farmOver 60% of applied annual fertility needs for crops are sourced on farmOver 90% of applied annual fertility needs for crops are sourced on farm

How much of your farm's land base is dedicated to creation or maintaining of biodiversity?

No on-farm diversity planned or implemented2% of the farm's land base is dedicated to creation or maintaining of biodiversity10% of the farm's land base is dedicated to creation or maintaining of biodiversity25% of the farm's land base is dedicated to creation or maintaining of biodiversity40% of the farm's land base is dedicated to creation or maintaining of biodiversity

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Greenhouses/High Tunnels

Are all Greenhouse/High Tunnel crops grown in soil connected to the bedrock (excluding microgreens and plants sold in containers)?

YesNo

Please list which crops are not grown in soil, and also explain what growing methods/practices you use for these crops.

Do any of the following apply to any of your greenhouse/high tunnels?

Insulation below ground in an in-ground production areaInsulation below ground in a plant propagation areaBothNone of the Above

What year were your greenhouse/high tunnels with insulation below ground in a production area built?

Before 2021After 2021

Which crops are you growing in these tunnels?

What is the primary soil component of greenhouse/high tunnels with insulation below ground in a production area?

Soil and CompostPrimarily an inert mediumOther

What is the soil depth, above the insulation, in the greenhouse/ high tunnels with insulation?

inches

What percentage of gross sales comes from greenhouses and/or high tunnels with insulation/barriers below in ground growing spaces?

Do you use soluble inputs used in your greenhouse/high tunnel system?

YesNo

Please list the soluble inputs used and how often you are using them (ex: fish emulsion, hydrolyzed soy protein, pelleted chicken manure).

Do you use deep steam treatment of the soil (greater than 4 inches)?

YesNo

Please explain why you use deep steam soil treatment

Do you use artificial light in your greenhouse/high tunnel?

YesNo

Are these artificial lights used for

Growing starter plants/plants for on farm transplantGrowing plants you will be harvesting from (including Microgreens)Both

Please explain the dates and/or conditions during which artificial light is used

Do you actively heat any of your greenhouse/high tunnel year round?

YesNo

NEW What percentage of your farm's gross sales come from certified organic Greenhouse/High Tunnel crops?

Greenhouse Heating

For each greenhouse you heat year round, please list the following. If you have multiple greenhouses you heat year round click "add another response" after filling out this question:

Greenhouse name or number

Total sq ft of greenhouse

What is the energy source used to heat this greenhouse?

Natural GasPropaneWoodOtherDo Not Heat

What is the "other" energy source used to heat this greenhouse?

What is the total amount of propane used to heat this greenhouse over the course of the year

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Ruminants

How many acres does your farm have exclusively for hay?

How many acres of pasture does your farm have exclusively for grazing?

How many acres does your farm have for both hay and grazing?

What is the total number of grazing animals on your farm?

What is the total number of dairy cattle on your farm?

This includes slaughter eligible cattle.

What is the total number of cattle for meat?

Are all ruminants, including dairy cattle, organic from the last third of gestation other than the one-time farm transition to organic certification?

YesNo

Do all ruminants receive colostrum within the first 24 hours of birth?

YesNo

Do all Ruminants have daily, year round access to the outdoors during the growing season. Outdoors constitutes at least 50% vegetative cover during the growing season. Vegetative cover may include pasture, bushes, shrubs, hedgerows and trees.

YesNo

How many days is your growing season?

Please describe the way you raise young ruminants on your farm (check all that apply)

Individualized housing with outdoor exercise areaIndividualized housing without outdoor exercise areaGroup housing with outdoor exercise areaGroup housing without outdoor exercise areaCalves raised with mother

Please describe your ruminant housing

Are any animals housed individually after weaning?

YesNo

Please check all that apply to your young ruminant housing

Animals have sufficient room to turn around, lie down, stretch out while lying down, get up, rest, and groom themselvesHousing is designed so that animals can see, smell, and hear other animalsHousing provides continual access to outdoor exercise areaNone of the above

Does your farm utilize face branding on any ruminants?

YesNo

Do you disbud ruminants (removing buds under 2 months of age) without anesthesia or NOP allowed pain relief?

YesNo

Are you willing to use Dull It or a different NOP approved pain relief product?

YesNo

Do you dehorn ruminants (removing horns over 2 months of age)?

YesNo

Is dehorning always done by an experienced handler?

YesNo

Is dehorning always done with appropriate anesthesia?

YesNo

Do you utilize the following practices with sheep on your farm: mulesing and tail docking shorter than the distal end of the caudal fold

YesNo

What percentage of your farm's gross sales come from certified organic Cattle for Dairy?

What percentage of your farm's gross sales come from certified organic Cattle for Meat?

What percentage of your farm's gross sales come from certified organic Goats?

What percentage of your farm's gross sales come from certified organic Sheep?

Please provide the grazing information for your different ruminant groups. If you have more than one group, click "add another ruminant group" Please fill out this question separately for each ruminant group

Type of ruminant animal

Number of animals in this grazing group

What is the DMI% from pasture for this ruminant group during the growing season
(as listed on your organic system plan)?

NEW Please describe your grazing groups.
Please let us know how many different groups you have this season and what their correlating DMI is.

**If you are a new applicant or have been certified for 4+ years and are expecting an inspection, please be prepared to show your inspector you DMI calculations.

NEW Please scan and attach your DMI calculations. This is optional
*If you are a new applicant or have been certified for 4+ years and are expecting an inspection, please be prepared to show your inspector your DMI calculations if you have not uploaded them

Do any of your ruminant groups have less than a 50% DMI during the growing season?

YesNo

Please explain what impediments you have to having your ruminants reach a 50% DMI (for example: lack of land access, short growing season etc.)

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Poultry

How many total birds do you raise per year?

How many laying hens do you raise per year?

What is the average weight of a mature laying hen?

lbs

How many birds do you raise at one time?

How many flocks of this size do you raise per year?

How many meat birds do you raise per year?

Does all poultry have daily, year round access to the outdoors during the growing season? Outdoors constitutes at least 50% vegetative cover during the growing season. Vegetative cover may include pasture, bushes, shrubs, hedgerows and trees.

YesNo

At how many weeks old do you put birds outside?

At how many weeks old do you slaughter your meat birds?

What is the average weight of a bird at slaughter?

Do all poultry spend a minimum of half of their life outdoors before being slaughtered (where outdoors is defined as 50% vegetated cover)?

YesNo

Do you sell any of your poultry products to off farm retail locations? (this does not include your farmer's market stand)

YesNo

Do you provide 6" or more of perch space per bird?

YesNo

Is there sufficient water, food, and protection in outdoor areas?

YesNo

Does enough natural light enter shelters during daylight hours to read inside?

YesNo

Do you use artificial lights to extend daylight hours?

YesNo

What is the maximum total number of daylight hours received?

Please describe how you keep volatile ammonia levels low in fixed houses:

Do you use any of the following practices with your Poultry (check all that apply)?

None of the followingDe-snoodingWattle and comb trimmingToe-clipping and trimmingHole punchingDubbingCaponizationFace brandingForced moltingThe use of goggles or other similar artificial devices designed to reduce feather pecking

Do your birds have trimmed beaks?

YesNo

Does the beak trimming happen at the hatchery?

YesNo

What hatchery do you purchase from?

Please format: Hatchery Name; City, State

Have you made an effort to source birds or request birds that have not have not had beaks trimmed?

YesNo

What percent of your gross sales comes from the sale of certified organic Poultry for Meat?

What percent of your gross sales comes from the sale of certified organic Poultry for Eggs?

NEW How many housing units do you have?

Poultry Housing Units

Please enter the following information for each poultry housing unit on your farm. If you have more than one housing unit, click "add another response". Please fill out these questions seperately for each poultry housing unit on your farm.

Bird Type

Housing Type

Total Number of Birds in this housing unit

Number of indoor square feet in housing unit

What is the combined length of all perch space in this housing unit? (in linear feet)

Daily outdoor square feet available to birds in this housing unit

How many times are bird in this housing unit rotated to a different piece of land per year?

What is the cumulative outdoor space over the entire season

Any other Information you would like to share about this specific housing unit?

Please make sure that you add additional housing units if you have housing of the same type but different measurements using the blue link below

Is there anything you would like to add or clarify about your poultry operation?

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Pigs

Do all pigs have daily, year round access to the outdoors during the growing season.

YesNo

Please describe what type of outdoor areas your pigs have regular access to during the growing season

How many pigs do you raise?

How many acres do you provide for this number of pigs?

Are pigs housed in groups at all times except for farrowing, boars, and illnesses?

YesNo

Briefly describe the shelter used for farrowing:

Briefly describe all bedding and manipulatable materials provided

How are your pigs managed to prevent degradation of the soil?

Do you utilize any of the following practices with your Pigs (check all that apply)?

None of the followingNeedle teeth trimming or grindingNose ringingTusk removalCastration after 14 days of ageTail dockingFace branding

What percent of your farm operation's gross sales comes from the sale of certified organic Pork or Pork products?

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Labor Protections

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

What are the maximum number of employees on your payroll at any given time?

NEW What number of job CLASSES do you have on your farm?

A “job class” is defined as follows: One job class means that all employees are doing similar work such as sharing in the cultivation and harvesting of vegetables. Multiple job classes means that different groups of employees are assigned different tasks that do not overlap with each other.

NEW Do you have any employees who only speak Spanish?

YesNoThis is to help us plan for a translator to be available.

NEW How many workers are on H2A visas?

Are you willing to provide your employees a one page document outlining agricultural worker's legal protections required by law? This document will be provided by Real Organic Project. See document

YesNo

Please describe why you are unwilling to provide your employees the one page document?

Do you receive any payment from employees or prospective employees for any costs associated with obtaining a job?

YesNo

Please explain the situation of accepting payment from employees or prospective employees for any costs associated with obtaining a job?

Do you hire any contract labor through another person or organization?

YesNo

Please provide the name of the person or organization who provides your farm with contract labor.

Do you have any reason to believe that the contractor you have hired is violating the legal rights of their employees?

YesNo

Please explain your concerns with the contractor you have hired

Do you have any reason to believe that your contractor may not be in line with Real Organic labor standards?

YesNo

Do your employees receive a pay stub, or other documentation, on a regular basis that allows them to clearly determine their pay, hours and deductions?

YesNo

Please describe any alternative system you have in place to allow employees to determine that their hours, pay and deductions were properly calculated

Do you provide key documents (such as pay stub and work contract) to your employees in a language in which they are proficient?

YesNo

Do your employees have complete freedom of movement and association?

YesNo

Do you, under any circumstances, hold on to your employee's passport, immigration or work documents?

YesNo

Do your employees have access to medical care? Please note: this does not mean that you provide healthcare directly to your employees. Just that they have access to appropriate professional medical care.

YesNo

Do your employees have access to transportation? Transportation may either be provided by the farm or the employees may have their own modes of transportation.

YesNo

Do your employees have access to communications? This includes cellphone, internet, computers. These may either be provided by the farm or the employees may have their own.

YesNo

Do your employees have the ability to shop for their basic needs? Please note: this does not mean that you provide this directly to your employees. Employees must have access to shop at a location of their choosing either utilizing their personal or farm provided transportation.

YesNo

Are your employees provided all tools, supplies and equipment required to perform their assigned duties?

YesNo

Is appropriate safety equipment provided to employees at no cost to them?

YesNo

Are employees given appropriate safety training on all potentially hazardous equipment and/or materials they could be exposed to while performing their job?

YesNo

Do you provide housing for any of your employees?

YesNo

Do you provide all of the following for the housing you provide for your employees:
- A safe physical environment
- Housing that has a natural source of light and a safe source of lighting
- Clean, Private, and cleanable space
- Facilities for personal cleaning
- Access to a sanitary bathroom or latrine (within a reasonable distance to the housing)
- Access to potable water
- Housing described accurately and in detail to workers previous to employment. A special emphasis was put on any non-traditional housing

YesNo

Please check any of the following if they apply to the housing you provide for your employees:

It is a safe physical environmentIt has a natural source of light and a safe source of lightingIt is a clean, private and cleanable spaceIt has a space for personal cleaningIt has access to a sanitary bathroom or latrine (within a reasonable distance to the housing)It has access to potable waterThe housing was described accurately and in detail to workers previous to employment. A special emphasis was put on any non-traditional housingNone of the above

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Label Approval

NEW Do you have any processed products?

YesNo

Do you hold a USDA Handling Scope on any certified organic processed products that you would like to be able to use the Real Organic Project label on?

YesNo

NEW Are your processed products made with ROP certified ingredients of at least 90%

YesNo

Please list the products that you would like approval to use the Real Organic Project logo on.

If you have more than one product, you will find the option to "Add Another Product" at the bottom of this page.

Product Name

Packaging Type

% ROP Ingredients (by weight or volume)

Please list all of the ingredients for this product on which you will be using the Real Organic Project logo:

Is this product processed on your farm?

YesNo

Where is this product processed?

Does this product you are seeking to use the Real Organic Project logo on include produce and/or animal product (including dairy and eggs) ingredients that are not raised on your farm?

YesNo

Please list where you are sourcing produce and/or animal products not raised on your farm. Real Organic Project's processing standards require that farms using our logo on processed products prove that none of the ingredients in their processed products are sourced from CAFOs or hydroponic production facilities.

Are the processed products that you listed certified with a handling scope on your USDA Organic certificate? (This means the actual product, not just the base ingredients, are listed on your organic certificate)

YesNo

Please describe where the Real Organic Project logo will be placed on your packaging.

If approved, does Real Organic Project have permission to feature a picture of your packaging (with the Real Organic Project label on it) on our website or in email communications with farmers and/or consumers?

YesNo

To approve your product, we will need to review an image of your label. Do you have an image readily available?

YesNo

Please upload a single picture of the label that the Real Organic Project seal will be added to.

Need Assistance?

Please email our Certification Director Trish at certifications@realorganicproject.org

Additional Information

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

Summary

Please note: Your application will NOT be saved automatically. If you’d like to save your application and come back to it later, please click on the link at the top or bottom of the page.

How did you hear about Real Organic Project's certification program

Who was the person, farm or conference that recommended us?

Do you have any questions for us?

I agree to abide by the rules and regulations in the Real Organic Project Confidentiality Agreement

YesNo

I agree to abide by the rules and regulations in the Real Organic Project's Code of Conduct

YesNo

By writing your name in the box below you agree that all statements made in this application are true and any false representation will negate ROP certification. The person filling in this box is authorized to sign this document on behalf of their farm.

Administrative Scoring

Total Score

Pg 2 Total

Greenhouse Total

Employee Total

Ruminent Total

Poultry Total

Pig Total

Total Non-Cert Production

Prohibitive Practices Sales

Soil Rubric

reCAPTCHA helps prevent automated form spam.

The submit button will be disabled until you complete the CAPTCHA.

Save my progress and resume later | Resume a previously saved form

Mixed Vegetables	Greenhouse Crops	Culinary Herbs
Medicinal Herbs	Berries	Blueberries
Tree Fruit	Tree Nuts	Avocado
Ornamentals/Flowers	Whole Grains	Flour
Hemp	Microgreens	Mushrooms
Dairy	Beef	Eggs
Poultry Meat	Goat	Pork
Lamb, Mutton	Hay/Forage	Processed Products
Oils	Dried Fruit	Dried Beans
Teas/Coffee	Soap	Seeds
Wine/Cider

CSA	Farmers Market
On Farm Sales/Store	Online Store
Ships Products	Wholesale
None of the above

Website	Farmers Market
Raw Product Packaging	Processed Product Packaging
Wholesale Packaging	On Delivery Vehicles

Monday AM	Monday PM
Tuesday AM	Tuesday PM
Wednesday AM	Wednesday PM
Thursday AM	Thursday PM
Friday AM	Friday PM