New Farm - Organic Certifiers Database














	

		
				
 
					
				

				
 
					
					
					
				

				
 
					
					
						

						
										
 
											Guide to US Organic Certifiers
										

									

										

							


						

					
					
				
				 
					 
					 
						
												

							

								
									

										

											
											 
											 
										

									

										
							

							

								
									

										
 
											
											
											
											
											
											
										

										
 
											Browse All Certifiers
											Search Certifiers by Attributes
										

										
 
											Compare 2 Certifiers
											What's in a Profile?
										

										
 
											How to Use This Guide
											Certification Forum
											For Certifiers: Add/Edit Entry
										


									

										
							

						

											
					 
				
				
					 
					
					 
				
				 
					 
					
						
						
	


	

		
 
			Certifier Profile
		

		
 
			
				

					

						Texas Department of Agriculture
						Austin, TX, U.S.
					

				

					
		

	
		
 
			
				

					

						Essentials
						Clients
						Fees
						Services/Affiliations
						Staff/Inspectors
					

				

					
		


		

			
				

					

						Texas Department of Agriculture
					

					

						P.O. Box 12847
						Austin, TX 78711		
					

					

						 
					

					

						Phone: 512-475-1641
						Email: leslie.mckinnon@agr.state.tx.us
					

					

						Fax: 512-463-8225
						Website: http://www.agr.state.tx.us
					

					

						Contact Person: Leslie McKinnon
					

				



				Year Founded: 1988				
Business Type: Government/public agency

				
Geographic Range:

				

					

						Activity in: U.S.
					

																			

						South
						TX
					

																				
								


				



				

					

						Activity in: Global Regions
					

										

						Americas
						North America
					

																									
				

					
		


	
		
 
			
				

					

						Texas Department of Agriculture 
					

					

						Essentials
						Clients
						Fees
						Services/Affiliations
						Staff/Inspectors
					

				

					
		

		

			
				

					

						Top 3 crops:
						1. mixed vegetables, including herbs
						2. grain crops and forages
						3. cotton
					

					

						Top 3 livestock types:
						1. beef
						2. poultry/eggs
						3. dairy
					

				



						
Inspections and certifications
						

						

						Inspections and certifications by type of clients (total number):
						

						
						

							

								 
								Production Only
								Production & Processing
							

							

								Crop farms
								Not listed
								0
							

							

								Livestock farms
								Not listed
								Not listed
							

							

								Crops and livestock
								Not listed
								Not listed
							

						

						

						Inspections and certifications by type of clients (total number):
						

							

								Processing
								Handling
								Other
							

							

								53
								45
								57 (Retailers)
							


							
Farm inspections and certifications by size (percentage of certifier's farm total):

							

								

									<5 a
									5-49 a 
									50-179 a
									180-499 a
									500-1000 a
									>1000 a
								

								

									22%
									26% 
									14%
									15%
									12%
									12%
								

							


						
						



						
					
		

	
		
 
			
				

					

						Texas Department of Agriculture 
					

					

						Essentials
						Clients
						Fees
						Services/Affiliations
						Staff/Inspectors
					

				

					
		

		

			
							Process highlights for new applications
							
							

							Cost structure
							
							

							Fees set by: Acreage, Nonproducers have flat fees.								
Application fee: 
									$25																
								
Annual Fee:
									
Minimum: 
									Not Listed
									
Maximum:
									Not Listed
									


								


								
Overall charges statement:

											
On website, to be entered.  Annual fee covers one inspection.  There is an additional inspection fee for more than one annual inspection ($100).

									
								
Fees published: Yes									
Format: 
									Posted on website, Printed outlines								
								
Customer can estimate fees from publication:  No									


								
Refund Policy:
										

											This is listed in our Rule and on the website.										


					
		

	
		
 
			
				

					

						Texas Department of Agriculture 
					

					

						Essentials
						Clients
						Fees
						Services/Affiliations
						Staff/Inspectors
					

				

					
		

		

			
					Types of Certification
							
State organic registration: Yes							
Other:  Not Listed							

				Other accreditation groups recognized: 
				None Listed



				
Professional organizations
					
Organic Trade Association


					Newsletter/Periodical: Not Listed					
					
					
		Publications
				
    
			
  1. Business list print of Certified Organic Growers

  2. Working with marketing to build a guide:  How to Get into Organics
		

									Conferences/Events
		 - None Listed
							Other Services
		 - None Listed
							Other Resource Referrals
		 - None Listed


					Other   - Not Listed						
					
Cooperating partners?
								 - Not Listed						
					
Full-time receptionist? Yes
					
Response Time Commitment: 
							
								We respond as quickly as possible.  For phone, we usually have a same day response, sometimes a day or two if playing phone tag.  Policy on emails is to respond within 3 days, written inquiry response time within 10 days. 
							
						
					
Member records available by email? No					
Member able to complete/access records online? No
					
Transparency steps for farmers/public?
					 - Not Listed
					
					

							Farmer Friendly Services
				
    
			
  1. We put forms on our website, so applicants can print them instead of waiting for the forms to be mailed.

  2. We participate in federal cost-share programs, where applicants can be reimbursed for up to 75% of certification costs.
		

									Top Five Strengths
				
    
			
  1. We are an impartial government agency.

  2. Our inspectors are local residents who live in the area where they do inspections, so they are familiar with agriculture in that part of the state.

  3. We conduct residue testing on a regular basis.  For each farm, we collect tissue samples for the testing.

  4. We have the supportive infrastructure of a state agency, such as administrative services, computers, and a legal division we can go to with legal questions.  So, we don’t have to hire a lawyer because their services are built into the state agency.
		

							
		


	

	
		
 
			
				

					

						Texas Department of Agriculture 
					

					

						Essentials
						Clients
						Fees
						Services/Affiliations
						Staff/Inspectors
					

				

					
		

		

			
					

						

							Executive/management/support staff
							
						

						

							Full-time2 Program Office Staff
						

						

							Part-time0
						

						

							Independent Contractors0
						

						

							Other Staff0
						

						

							Total Paid Staff2
						

					


				
Inspectors used in 2002: 90 -- for all regulatory programs, not just organic				
Inspector employment status: 
				State employees
				
Qualifications/training for inspectors: 

					
Job qualifications for inspectors will be emailed, to be entered.

				
Most recent update by certifier: 01/31/04



					
		

	
	


	
						

						

Disclaimer: The certifier profile data shown on this site is for informational purposes, based on data submitted by participating certifiers. The Rodale Institute® does not specifically endorse any certifier, nor guarantee the accuracy of the information. Please contact certifiers to verify information that is critical to decision-making. If you have comments about any of the listings, or listings to add, please contact our guide coordinator