This program means that a New Hampshire company grinding organic grains into muffin and pancake mixes, producing organic yogurt or cheese, or turning organic maple products into a line a line of maple-flavored organic salsas can have its processing operation certified in-state and its products bearing a New Hampshire certification label.

Richard Uncles, supervisor of DAMF's Bureau of Markets, said organic processors themselves came forward to help develop and push the enabling legislation, "on the grounds of affordability and a desire to maintain a strong New Hampshire brand identity for their products."

"New Hampshire processors had discovered it was a very expensive proposition to hire an outside certifier," Uncles said. "With the new program, we'll provide certification as a service, charging only enough to cover our costs.

"Also, New Hampshire processors wanted to maintain their own state identity with a New Hampshire 'brand' label," said Uncles. "They told legislators it looks kind of strange to have to market products bearing another state's organic label."

Meeting national organic standards
"This is not a food safety program," Uncles said. "It will simply ensure that a grower or processor meets the federal standards as 'organic' under the federal rule."

After 10 years of public deliberation, the National Organic Rule went into effect in October 2002. It specifies in detail how growers must care for their soils, grow their crops, and care for livestock if they want to label their products "organic." The national program also established rules for processing and handling operations: livestock and poultry slaughtering, grinding, canning, pickling, freezing, packaging and other means of processing food labeled organic.

NH DAMF had developed and managed its own organic certification program for nearly a decade before becoming accredited as a certifying agency under the federal rule. But until now, DAMF has only certified raw agricultural products, such as vegetables, fruits, eggs and meat. "We had a dilemma," said Uncles. "We couldn't take on an open-ended responsibility for certifying processing and handling operations without some means of funding it."

Program may help organic growers
Uncles said the new certification program will also benefit the state's organic growers. "It's critical for some producers of raw agricultural products that there be certified processors out there," he said. "Say you're producing an organic maple product. If you can sell to a processor making maple popcorn and selling it as certified organic, it adds value to your own product."

New Hampshire currently has approximately 110 certified organic producers raising a wide variety of crops, including vegetables, herbs, eggs, poultry, beef, maple products and ornamentals. Strong consumer demand for organic and locally produced foods provide strong market niches new farmers can exploit, Uncles said.

More information about organic certification:

• NH Organic certification program
• The National Organic Program Homepage
• Move out from here to find information on organic standards, news updates, and consumer. You might want to begin with the Questions and Answers page.
• National Organic Standards
• 2008 New Hampshire certified organic producers' directory