Organic Certification at Fedco

Organic Certification at Seeds

Fedco Seeds is certified by MOFGA Certification Services, Maine’s USDA-approved certifier. MCS conducts an annual inspection and audit of Fedco to ascertain that we remain in compliance with the national standards. Each variety labeled as organic in our catalog has been certified by a USDA-approved agency. By maintaining an audit trail and careful procedures we ensure that our certified organic seed will not be contaminated.

If you buy organic seed because you are a certified grower, save your invoice from us and your packet labels so you can keep track of lot numbers to maintain your own audit trail.

The NOP rule requires organic growers to use certified-organic seed whenever it is commercially available. While in practice it still leaves a wide range of choices, certifiers have been interpreting it increasingly strictly, though they differ in what constitutes a good faith effort to locate organic seed. Consult your regional certifier for their specific seed requirements. If you are growing in Canada please see our organic certificate for a list of organic seed varieties that are certified organic in accordance with the terms of the U.S.-Canada Organic Equivalency Arrangement.

We continue to expand our range of suppliers and our offerings of certified organic varieties.

Your invoice is your documentation that we are a certified-organic handler. View and download our primary MOFGA certificate here, which lists all of our organic items in Seeds, Trees, OGS, Bulbs, and POE. Seeds, seed potatoes, and plants labeled ‘Organic’ are certified organic. Some of our amendments and supplies are on the national list or the OMRI list, but it is your responsibility to check with your certifier about the allowability of any product.

Sustainably Grown Seed

All seed in our catalog offered as “organic” comes from certified farms. Even farms grossing under $5,000 that would otherwise be exempt from certification must get certified for us, as a processor, to label their product “certified organic.”

Believing it essential to the democracy and self-reliance of our agricultural community and to our integrity as a seed supplier, we have painstakingly built our network of small seed growers over the past 40 years. Most of our growers use farm and seed revenues to supplement income from other jobs. Many gross less than $5,000 farming.

Some growers who practice sustainable farming methods conscientiously eschew certification for economical or ideological reasons. Thus, we are using the ecological label ECO after the variety name to describe uncertified seeds grown without pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers in gardens and on farms that maintain an active soil-building program. Often this seed is as sustainably grown as the certified organic seed. We hope you will continue to support both Organic and ECO growers with your purchases.

We use the label BD for those varieties certified biodynamically grown. Some varieties have both biodynamic and organic certification and so will be labeled Organic/BD.

GMOs At Fedco

Fedco does not carry genetically modified seeds or plants, and was one of the first companies to sign the Safe Seed Pledge. See more information about Fedco's policy on GMOs.

Organic Certification at Organic Growers Supply

We are a MOFGA-certified organic repacker and handler of seed and feed.

Organically produced items (with Organic in the name) are certified by USDA-approved agencies. We have on file each grower's certificate; our products are labeled and handled in ways to ensure their integrity.

Conventionally grown seed is either untreated or coated with OMRI-listed coatings and inoculants. Certified-organic growers may be able to use such seed under certain circumstances: consult with your certifier.

Agricultural inputs used on a certified-organic farm must be listed in your Organic System Plan and approved by your certifier. This does not necessarily mean that the inputs themselves are certified organic. We label the inputs we carry as follows:

• OMRI: Listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute. Certificate available upon request.
• MOFGA: Reviewed and approved by the Maine Organic Farmers & Gardeners Association Certification Services.
  
• Nat’l List: One-ingredient products on the NOP List of Allowed Substances.
  
• WSDA: Listed by the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Organic Certification division for use in organic agriculture in Washington State. MOFGA has indicated that they will accept products on this list for their certification program.
• AYC: Ask your certifier. Has not been reviewed by a certifier, but the active ingredient is allowed.
• Not Allowed: Has a place in sensible agriculture; may be used when certification is not an issue.

This information is correct to the best of our knowledge. We cannot be responsible for errors or changes; changes will be posted as we become aware of them. In order to be certain that a product is allowed, check with your certifier.

• Click here for more information or the complete text of the rule.

Organic Certification at Potatoes, Onions and Exotics

Potatoes, Onions and Exotics, as part of Fedco Seeds, is a certified organic handler. Organically produced items (with Organic in the name) are certified by USDA approved gencies. We have on file each grower’s certificate; our products are labeled accordingly and handled in ways to ensure their integrity.

We are handling live plant material. We sometimes have short crops and failed lots. We do occasionally substitute conventional varieties; please see our substitution policy.