YAKIMA – The explosion in Washington state’s organic food industry could mean increased certification fees for farms and food processors, under a proposal being considered by the state Department of Agriculture.
As more and more consumers seek healthy food options, organic agriculture continues to be the fastest growing sector of the nation’s agricultural industry. The industry grows at about a 20 percent rate annually, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In Washington state, just 63 farms saw $2.5 million in sales in 1988. In 2005, sales were $97 million, and 954 farms and food processing operations were certified organic.
“From what we hear, from the processors and the distributors, they just can’t get enough organic products. That’s driving a lot of farmers who see the organic prices to pursue their own organic farms,” said Miles McEvoy, manager of the Organic Food Program for the state Agriculture Department.
It’s also putting pressure on the people who have to certify all those farms and processors as organic, prompting the call for higher certification fees.
“Organic production is growing, and we’re finding ourselves understaffed and undermanned trying to get all the paperwork done for certification,” said Dain Craver, an organic grower and a member of the Organic Advisory Board, which proposed the change.
“We need to grow it just like a business, and sometimes you need to increase your fees to be able to hire more people just to keep up with demand,” Craver said.
Under the proposal, the application fee for new organic certifications would increase from $100 to $250, and a new $20 renewal fee would be applied to offset the cost of a required annual onsite visit.
Organic farmers also are subjected to random, unannounced visits. There would be no fee for those surveillance visits. But late fees ranging from $50 to $1,000 would be imposed on farmers for unpaid accounts.
The state Organic Food Program is a fee-for-service program, which means organic growers and processors pay into the program at amounts based on their level of sales. Organic growers with sales less than $5,000 are exempt from requiring certification; sales above $5,000 require certification if a grower or processor labels products as organic.
Consumer demand for organic products this year is as high as it’s ever been, said Craver, who grows apples, cherries and Asian pears on 170 acres near Royal City.
“A lot of growers aren’t happy with it. They don’t want to see the fees go up,” he said. “But it might cost you a little more, but you’re making more money.”
Barbara Persson of Canyon River Organics disagrees. She and her husband grow everything from tree fruit and raspberries to herbs and vegetables on 10 acres south of Ellensburg. She previously was certified organic but dropped the certification to avoid the mountain of paperwork involved.
McEvoy acknowledged that for some small growers, the paperwork to be certified organic can seem overwhelming, although that isn’t slowing farmers from turning to the industry.
One example: There were only three certified organic dairy farms in Washington state in 2003. Just three years later, there are 42.
McEvoy also noted that more and more farmers’ markets – which generally sell 75 percent organic products – and other businesses are requiring such certification.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
