All About the OSP
Everything you need to know about Organic System Plans (OSP), what they are, and what to include
What is an OSP?
Everyone looking to get or renew organic certification needs to submit an Organic System Plan (OSP). Think of the OSP as your farm’s blueprint for organic farming. It’s essential for showing certifiers how your farm sticks to organic standards. This plan includes how you manage your resources, a list of everything you use like seeds and fertilizers, and maps of your farm area. The details of an OSP can change depending on the size of your farm, what you’re growing, and where you’re located. It’s not just routine paperwork; it’s a crucial step on your journey to becoming organically certified.
What is the purpose of an OSP?
An Organic System Plan (OSP) is essentially your farm's game plan for going organic. It's all about keeping everyone—certifiers, reviewers, and you—on the same page. Here’s what it does for you:
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Looking Ahead: Helps you think about what your farm might need down the road.
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Smart Choices: Guides you in making good decisions for now and later.
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Using Resources Wisely: Helps you make the most of what you have, from people to land.
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Budgeting: Makes it easier to plan your finances, predicting costs and income.
The best part? Your OSP grows with your farm. As things change, so does your plan, keeping everything running smoothly and keeping everyone in the loop. It's not just paperwork; it's a roadmap to keep your farm thriving organically.
Organic System Plan Requirements
What goes into your Organic System Plan (OSP) really depends on what your farm does. Here’s how it breaks down, based on the different areas or "scopes" your operation might involve:
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Crops: For farms growing grains, fruits, vegetables, etc.
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Livestock: For operations raising animals.
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Processing: For places that transform raw farm products into things like cheese or canned goods.
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Wild Crops: For those harvesting naturally occurring crops like wild berries or mushrooms.
Some farms might only deal with one scope, but it’s possible to handle up to all four!
Every Organic System Plan needs to include key details like what products you're making, what materials you're using in your process, records of how much you produce and sell, and maps of your growing areas or facilities. Each type of operation—crops, livestock, processing, or wild crops—also has its own specific extra paperwork requirements.
Before you choose an organic certification agency, make sure they can certify the specific area(s) of your operation, like crops, livestock, processing, or wild crops. While most agencies can handle all types, some specialize in certain areas.
You can use our Certifier Database to find one which covers all your needs.
CROPS
Crop operations may grow a variety of cultivated crops, like (but not limited to):
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Corn
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Soybeans
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Oranges
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Alfalfa
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Potatoes
Crop OSP Requirements
For crop-related organic system plans, you need to include details like:
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What crops you're growing and where the seeds come from
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When and how much you harvest
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Your sales details
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How you keep track of everything
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Ways you improve the soil
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How you handle pests
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Your plan to support different plant and animal life on your farm
PROCESSING
Processing operations involve steps that modify the form of an organic product. This includes activities such as:
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Putting products into packaging
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Moving products from one place to another
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Cutting meat at butcher shops
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Baking goods at bakeries
Processing OSP Requirements
For processing operations, your Organic System Plan needs to include simple, clear information about:
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What you sell
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How you keep track of everything
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How you clean equipment after use
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Records of how products are moved
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Where and how you get your ingredients
LIVESTOCK
Livestock operations focus on raising animals organically. This includes, but isn't limited to:
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Dairy farms
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Chicken farms
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Pig farms
Livestock OSP Requirements
Organic system plans for livestock need to cover:
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Types of animals being raised
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Sales information
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Record-keeping methods
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Animal health care practices
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Grazing fields used
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Sources of feed other than pasture
WILD CROPS
Wild crop operations gather plants that grow naturally without deliberate cultivation, like watering or adding fertilizers. These include, but aren't limited to:
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Harvesting seaweed
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Picking mushrooms
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Collecting maple syrup
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Gathering ginseng
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Picking wild herbs
Wild Crops OSP Requirements
For wild crop operations, your Organic System Plan should clearly include:
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The types of wild crops you collect
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Any rare, threatened, or endangered species in the area
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The specific areas where you harvest
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Legal permissions for collecting on land you don’t own
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A detailed plan for harvesting that protects the environment and biodiversity, including how you hire and train people who collect the crops.
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Helpful OSP Resources
When it's time to develop your Organic System Plan (OSP), your chosen certifier will provide guidelines and templates to assist you, but crafting the OSP is your responsibility. Each OSP is unique, tailored specifically to your operation's needs. To help guide you, we've gathered some templates and examples of OSPs, which will give you a clearer idea of what is expected and help you shape your own plan effectively.
The following templates have been provided by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS):
Here are documentation template forms which can be very useful when crafting your OSP. They can help you keep up to date records on your operations. Print them and keep them for your record keeping.
The following templates have been provided by NCAT Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA):
Here are two pre-filled example files to give you a clearer idea of what to include in your Organic System Plan (OSP). These examples can help you understand the types of responses and details that are typically required:
