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by Melissa Chavez
courtesy of King Estate Winery
King Estate, celebrating 18 years of Oregon winemaking in 2009, produces Oregon wines using organic & sustainable farming methods, and is certified organic by the Oregon Tilth. The estate includes 465 acres of organic vineyards.
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Organic market demand rises
The growing demand for organics has spurred much of the Oregon Tilth’s business. U.S. sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to an estimated $20 billion in 2007, and were projected to reach nearly $23 billion in 2008. Organic food sales are anticipated to increase an average of 18 percent each year from 2007 to 2010, according to a 2007 Organic Trade Association manufacturer survey.
The ongoing upsurge in fuel prices combined with a more environmentally conscious global climate has raised consumer awareness in recent years, leaving many asking themselves what everyday things they can do to help. An increase in studies monitoring organic gardening practices may hold the answer.
According to findings from a 21-year field trial initiated by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) in Switzerland, organically grown crops use less fossil energy than conventional crops. A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed DDT, chlordane and some other organochlorine pesticides keep showing up in the food supply years after they were banned.
The certification process
The process an applicant goes through to become certified takes just 60 to 90 days. It includes the application and reviews, but also includes a determination by an inspector and a committee as to what the applicant needs to do to keep in compliance with the USDA's NOP standards. The proposed list is taken to the applicant, and any questions or concerns are “usually quickly resolved,” says Mountain. “If any problems are left unresolved, they are not approved.”
After that initial certification, the yearly renewal includes inspectors checking up on those initial concerns to make sure they are still being kept to code. |
Del Monte’s fruits and vegetables, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Heinz’s ketchup all have something in common. They offer organic versions of their food products. And all are certified organic by Oregon Tilth Inc.
The Salem-based nonprofit promotes awareness of biologically sound and socially equitable agriculture through its product certification, advocacy, research and educational programs. It does it, in part, by being one of the 55 certifying agents in the USDA’s National Organic Program.
The program oversees all aspects of labeling standards for organic agricultural products. Kristy Korb, certification director for Oregon Tilth, says the nonprofit certifies roughly 1,200 businesses, 345 of which are based in Oregon.
The rest — including producers of crops and livestock such as farms and orchards, handlers of organic food such as grocery stores and restaurants, and producers of a variety of items including food, alcohol, fiber, essential oils and body care products — are located “across the world, in all of Latin America, Russia, China, Mexico.”
The organization had 2007 revenue of nearly $3 million, according to the Oregon Department of Justice, up from $1.9 million in 2006.
Oregon Tilth doesn’t actively recruit companies to sign up for certification — rather, it responds to inquiries.
The majority of the business operations certified by the Oregon Tilth are processing plants. Sizes range from small-scale dairies and hazelnut shelling companies to big-name producers such as Tropicana’s Florida orange juice operation, Darigold’s milk and cream operation, Gerber Products Co.’s baby food, and, of course, Del Monte, Ben & Jerry’s and Heinz. Local organic-certified businesses include Dundee’s Sokol Blosser Vineyards, Salem’s Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods and Kettle Foods brands, Beaverton’s Reser’s Fine Foods, and Portland’s New Seasons Market bakeries.
Jesse Dodson, New Seasons Markets bakery merchandiser, said the company is the only organic-certified bakery in the state.
Dodson oversees the company’s certification program and has had a hand in formulating 90 percent of the bread recipes made in its nine Portland metro locations. That’s a lot of flour, sugar, eggs and milk to keep track of, but the bakery also has to keep records of which ingredients it uses are organic.
“There’s no cross-contamination,” Dodson said. “We keep track of all products at a store, checking lot numbers and keeping a meticulous record of all that goes in and comes out.”
To continue to use Tilth’s “certified organic” label, New Seasons has a certification renewal process every year.
In addition to keeping organic and nonorganic ingredients in separate areas and informing Tilth throughout the year if a recipe needs to change due to seasonal availability, the company must provide formulation sheets of every recipe and document which organic ingredients are used.
“Some ingredients are hard to find, like organic buttermilk, so we end up using nonorganic ingredients and changing the classification,” Dodson said. “We keep the certifying agency well informed of any changes.”
Companies can turn to Mike Mountain if they have questions about certification. He’s an inspector for Oregon Tilth, specifically inspecting food processors.
Mountain is involved at every step, from answering questions about applications to reviewing inspection reports and inspecting companies during their yearly review.
When inspectors find a blatant disregard for National Organic Program rules, a company can be fined up to $10,000 and the suspension or loss of their certification.
New Seasons’ Dodson has had no such problems and enjoys working with Oregon Tilth.
“I like the Oregon Tilth a lot, and as they grow, they get even better. They send me notifications/notes whenever the USDA changes its standards — keeping me pretty well informed, which makes it a lot easier,” Dodson said. “They seem to take a genuine interest to make sure we’re all successful.”
Melissa Chavez is a Portland-based freelancer and the current editor of The Portland Alliance.
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