Where We Came From and Where We Are - Growing Organic Orchard Fruits - page 8

The nonprofit Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) (see Re-
sources ➔ ) began in 1997 to address some of these shortcomings. Accord-
ing to their website, the OMRI “provides organic certifiers, growers, manufac-
turers, and suppliers an independent review of products intended for use in
certified organic production, handling, and processing. . . . When companies
apply, OMRI reviews their products against the National Organic Standards.
Acceptable products are OMRI Listed and appear on the OMRI Products List.
OMRI also provides subscribers and certifiers guidance on the acceptability
of various material inputs in general under the National Organic Program.”
Other enterprises similar to OMRI are now carrying on similar activities.
Recently, for example, the OMRI website listed 14 approved insecticidal
soaps and 20 Bacillus thuringiensis products by brand and product name.
Such a list makes selecting a product much easier for food producers and
certifiers.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Complete information on the National Organic Program, including a list
ofcertifiersandthelistofallowedandprohibitedsyntheticmaterials,is
available on the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service website (see Re-
sources ➔ ) .
The Canadian Perspective
A similar organic certification program exists in Canada, based on the Cana-
dian Standard for Organic Agriculture that was first approved in 1999. The
“Organic Production Systems General Principles and Management Standar-
ds for Canada” and the “Permitted Substances List” were first published in
2006 and are available online (see Resources ➔ ) .