Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024
In order to receive and maintain organic certification from the
department, producers, processors and handlers of organic agricultural products
shall apply for organic certification with the department and submit all
required materials; comply with Iowa Code chapter 190C and this chapter; permit
the department to access the operation and all applicable records as deemed
necessary; comply with all local, state and federal regulations applicable to
the conduct of such business; and submit all applicable fees to the department
pursuant to Iowa Code section
190C.5(1)
and this chapter.
(1) Application for organic certification.
a. Application for certification shall be
completed and submitted with required application materials and fees to the
department on forms furnished by the department. Applications submitted to the
department after the published deadline date may be charged late fees for
application and inspection, and the processing of such applications may be
subject to delays or the applications may not be processed at all.
b. The applicant shall inform the department
of changes to the organic plan which may affect the conformity of the operation
to the certification standards at any time during the certification process and
after such certification is granted.
c. The certified party shall inform the
department of any changes in the organic plan, such as production changes or
intended modification to the product(s) or manufacturing process which may
affect the conformity of the operation to the certification
standards.
d. The certified party
shall keep a record of all complaints made known to that party relating to a
product's compliance with requirements to the relevant standard and shall make
these records available to the department upon request. The certified party
shall take appropriate action with respect to such complaints and any
deficiencies found in products or services that affect compliance with the
requirements for certification, and all such actions shall be documented and
available upon request by the department.
