Addressing Organic Food Certification and Production Challenges

Publisher: Ross Systems

Format: PDF
Date: 2007-08-29

Overview:
Reviewing the performance of organic food in the US market in terms of sales, this white paper addresses organic food certification and production challenges. Definition of "organic" in practical terms and according to USDA's National Organics Program (NOP) is provided along with that of "organic claim", and the procedure for applying for organic certification is reviewed along with Organic Systems Plan and its list of details. The report establishes the role of inspection in the Organics Plan and presents a list of organic control points that the inspector reviews on site. Highlighting the review of the inspection report by a technical staff member, the paper includes an explanation of resolution, minor non-compliance, major non-compliance, and conditions when organic certificate is issued. Impact and challenges faced by organic products in the food industry are analyzed together with organic product certification guidelines provided by the USDA and costs associated with annual organic inspections. The significance of food ingredient traceability factor for food processors is described, and the trend of food processors utilizing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems as their operational systems of record is elaborated. The report studies the various product-specification attributes associated with the material master records in addition to lot-specific attributes, and includes suggestions for improving bottom line performance and costs for food processors.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.	Introduction	2
2.	What Is Organic?	2
3.	Organic Certification Requirements	2
3.1	Application and Review	2
3.2	Inspection	2-3
3.2.1	Organic	3
3.2.2	Non-Organic/Conventional	3
3.3	Review	4
3.4	Resolution	4
3.5	Certification	4
4.	Impact and Challenges	4-5
5.	Attribute Management and Food-Ingredient Traceability Are the Keys	5
6.	The Operational System of Record	6
6.1	Attribute Management	6
6.2	Lot Traceability	7
6.3	Product Specifications	7
6.4	Process Specifications	7
6.5	Automatic Data Collection	7
6.6	Finite Scheduling	7
7.	Improved Bottom-Line Performance	8
8.	Summary	8
9.	References	8
10.	About Ross Enterprise for Food Processors	9