What must Organic Farmers do to keep their crops GMO free?
There are many things that Organic Farmers need to do, to ensure that their crops remain GMO free.
First thing need to do is locate any farms in the nearby area, to see if they are using GMOs. If the other farmers are using GMOs, the organic farmer will need to have a buffer zone. Buffer zones are usually 25 ft wide and are the borders of the organic fields. Buffer zones are used to help eliminate cross pollen flow from reaching the organic grown crops. The crops grown in the Buffer zones can't be sold as Organic, but can be sold as conventional.
Record Keeping for Organic Farmers
Record keeping is also very important for Organic Farmers. They need to be able to record information about harvest, storage and sales. They will also need to keep records on when they clean their equipment and transportation. They need to keep good records of these things because there is always a chance of cross contamination of GMOs from uncleaned equipment.
Organic Farm Plans
Organic farm plans are basically the appilcation for getting USDA certified. Some of the information provided on the Organic Farm Plan is maps of the farm, farm history, and all other relevant aspects of the operation.This plan is sent to the certification agency along with other fees and documents where it will be reviewed.If the certification agency likes what they see, they will send a inspector to take a look at the operation. If the farm passes the inspection, it can then be considered USDA certified.
There are many things that Organic Farmers need to do, to ensure that their crops remain GMO free.
First thing need to do is locate any farms in the nearby area, to see if they are using GMOs. If the other farmers are using GMOs, the organic farmer will need to have a buffer zone. Buffer zones are usually 25 ft wide and are the borders of the organic fields. Buffer zones are used to help eliminate cross pollen flow from reaching the organic grown crops. The crops grown in the Buffer zones can't be sold as Organic, but can be sold as conventional.
Record Keeping for Organic Farmers
Record keeping is also very important for Organic Farmers. They need to be able to record information about harvest, storage and sales. They will also need to keep records on when they clean their equipment and transportation. They need to keep good records of these things because there is always a chance of cross contamination of GMOs from uncleaned equipment.
Organic Farm Plans
Organic farm plans are basically the appilcation for getting USDA certified. Some of the information provided on the Organic Farm Plan is maps of the farm, farm history, and all other relevant aspects of the operation.This plan is sent to the certification agency along with other fees and documents where it will be reviewed.If the certification agency likes what they see, they will send a inspector to take a look at the operation. If the farm passes the inspection, it can then be considered USDA certified.