Building a new relationship between production and trade, the Organic Crop Improvement Associate is a farmer owned organic certification program that is regionally managed, centrally controlled. Focusing on organic crop improvement, the program is committed to building environmental stewardship through ethical partnership with nature. Certified in Asia, Europe, South, Meso, and North America, OCIA is the largest certifying body in the world.
OCIA is an organization made up of organic farmers and processors which hires 3rd party inspectors to certify that we use farming practices that comply with OCIA standards.
These standards were drawn up to insure that our farming practices would be healthier for the farmer as well as for the land.
From 5 certified farmers in 1990 we have grown to 35 certified in 1996. The production from these farms is now almost all sold into the “organic” market. This market realizes a premium of from 20% to 100% over the price of grain sold into the conventional channels. The quality requirements for organic grain is higher than conventional as the opportunity for mixing low quality grain with high quality is quite limited.
Organic farming aside from giving a premium price for our products is a less stressful was of farming and most of our farmers would continue to use organic methods even without the premium. The biggest plus is the fact that we have at least some control over our future and our way of life. We have found that the cost of having some weeds is a lot less than the cost of trying to eradicate them with chemicals.
Since we started “organic” farming, Farming has once again become enjoyable.
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Please send comments to Carlton Trail REDA Inc.
OCIA International office: 3185 Township Rd. 179, Bellefontaine, OH 43311 USA, Ph.(513)592-4983
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