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Organic Production

Certified organic production exists in more than 100 nations worldwide. Here in the United States, the National Organic Program defines organic agriculture as farming which “responds to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity” (NOP, 2000).

To achieve the standards codified by the NOP, organic producers must pay particular attention to record-keeping; certification requires field maps, management records, input records, soil tests, and pest monitoring data. While this may seem daunting, proper management and accurate records help ensure the continued quality and reputation of organic food products to consumers, who have expressed increasing demands for organics in recent years.

West Virginia University has partnered with Northeast Region SARE to present fact sheets on organic farming. These fact sheets are tailored to provide essential information concerning research-based organic management practices for farmers that are setting up, maintaining, or converting to organic farming systems.